Pakistan rebukes Afghan Taliban’s ‘deeply misguided approach’ to resolving bilateral tensions

Pakistan on Saturday rejected the Afghan Taliban spokesperson’s latest remarks about resolving bilateral issues, describing them as reflective of a “deeply misguided approach” towards the deteriorating relations between the two countries, and said terrorism emanating from Afghan soil remained a major obstacle to normal ties.

The response came after Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused Islamabad of lacking the readiness to resolve tensions with Kabul through dialogue, saying efforts to ease the dispute had so far failed.

In a statement posted on its official X account, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Mujahid’s latest remarks exposed the Taliban leadership’s unwillingness to confront the main issue straining bilateral ties — its failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.

“The Taliban leadership continues to blame Islamabad’s policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations: its persistent failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,” the statement said.

It added that Pakistan’s position was unequivocal, stressing that “terrorism is a red line and the security of its citizens is non-negotiable”.

The statement said Pakistan would not tolerate terrorist sanctuaries across its borders that threatened its security or allow its people to remain targets of attacks originating from Afghanistan, adding that Islamabad reserved the right to take all necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to eliminate threats to its national security, wherever they originated.

“Kabul must recognise that the responsibility for addressing these threats rests squarely with the Afghan Taliban regime,” it said, warning that Pakistan’s resolve to protect its people must never be mistaken for weakness.

Read: Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to take ‘decisive action’ against terrorist groups

The ministry said the Taliban regime’s continued refusal to address terrorism remained the principal obstacle to normal relations, adding that shifting blame, making assurances and questioning Pakistan’s policies would neither resolve the crisis nor absolve Kabul of its responsibilities.

“Pakistan’s security will not be held hostage to Afghan Taliban’s inaction, evasions or misplaced priorities,” the statement said.

The statement came after Mujahid told Radio Azadi that Afghanistan had made its final efforts through talks to ease tensions with Pakistan, but these had so far produced no results.

He confirmed that messages had been exchanged between Kabul and Islamabad, adding that efforts by mediating countries and Afghan Taliban officials had also failed to reduce tensions.

A day earlier, Pakistan had urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to take “decisive action” against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory, questioned their “complicity and support” for groups including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and reaffirmed its right to self-defence.

Addressing an interactive dialogue with the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan in the General Assembly’s Third Committee, Counsellor Muhammad Jawad Ajmal of Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations expressed concern over the presence and activities of several militant groups in Afghanistan.

These included the TTP, the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Majeed Brigade, the Islamic State in Khorasan Province and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, along with their affiliates operating from Afghan territory.

Read More: Info ministry calls out Afghan Taliban for deflecting attention from terrorist sanctuaries

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained due to recurring cross-border terrorism and security concerns. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban administration to prevent terrorist organisations, particularly the TTP, from using its territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has rejected Taliban assurances that Afghan territory would not be used against neighbouring countries, arguing that the ground situation and documented militant activity tell a different story.

Pakistan maintains that the terrorist nexus extended beyond the movement of terrorists across the border to their training, arming and operational support.

Security officials estimate that up to 70 per cent of the Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists infiltrating Pakistan were of Afghan origin. They further claim that the Taliban regime had allowed leftover US and NATO weapons to reach terrorist groups, including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.

The security establishment also linked the escalation in attacks to the presence of terrorist infrastructure inside Afghanistan.

In 2026 alone, terrorism emanating from Afghan soil claimed the lives of 1,327 Pakistanis and injured another 2,484, according to figures cited by Pakistani authorities.

Read More: Pakistan warns Afghanistan after Kohat attack, says it can eliminate terror threats ‘wherever they are’

Officials said that whenever Pakistani forces targeted terrorist hideouts, the Taliban regime instead moved to defend the militants and their sanctuaries rather than dismantling the infrastructure. The issue, Pakistan has argued, was not confined to TTP.

UN assessments have continued to document the presence of several other militant organisations in Afghanistan, including al Qaeda, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and Islamic State-Khorasan, reinforcing concerns about the broader militant ecosystem operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistani officials say the continued presence of these groups, combined with training facilities, cross-border infiltration and access to sophisticated weapons, demonstrates that Afghanistan remains an important base for terrorist activity affecting Pakistan.

Pakistan’s position, according to officials, remains that Kabul must take concrete steps to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, eliminate training infrastructure, prevent cross-border infiltration and ensure that Afghan territory is not used for attacks against Pakistan.

The government has maintained that the issue was fundamentally one of Pakistan’s national security and that continued attacks from Afghan soil cannot be addressed through denials alone.

Pakistan says it expected the Taliban regime to fulfil its commitments by taking verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from its territory rather than defending or denying their presence.