A former senior officer of the Afghan National Army has publicly alleged that armed groups responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan receive support from the Afghan Taliban, while also claiming that India provides financial assistance that ultimately reaches these organizations.
The allegations were made by Lieutenant General Syed Sami Sadat (Retd.), who served as Deputy Chief of the Afghan National Army in 2021 before the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government. His remarks were delivered in a recorded video statement that has since circulated widely across social media platforms and regional media outlets.
In his statement, Lt. Gen. Sadat asserted that every group involved in launching attacks against Pakistan enjoys the support of the Afghan Taliban. According to him, the Taliban provide these groups with various forms of assistance, facilitation, and operational backing.
The former Afghan general further alleged that the Afghan Taliban maintain close relations with India and receive financial support from Indian sources. He claimed that these funds are subsequently transferred to terrorist organizations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), enabling them to conduct attacks against Pakistan.
Lt. Gen. Sadat is regarded as one of the former Afghan military’s most senior officers, having served in the highest ranks of the Afghan National Army before the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Publicly available information indicates that he currently serves as Chairman of the Afghanistan United Front, a political organization opposed to the current Taliban administration.
Given his previous senior military responsibilities, his remarks have attracted attention among regional security observers. His allegations are viewed by some analysts as aligning with Pakistan’s longstanding position that Afghan territory continues to be used by terrorist organizations as a sanctuary for planning, coordinating, and launching cross-border attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist organizations operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan and have continued to target Pakistani security forces as well as innocent civilians. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly called upon the Afghan interim authorities to fulfill their international obligations by preventing Afghan territory from being used for terrorism against neighboring countries.
Pakistan has also, on multiple occasions, highlighted the alleged involvement of Afghan nationals in various terrorist incidents inside the country and has emphasized the need for stronger cooperation to eliminate cross-border terrorist networks.
The growing frequency of terrorist incidents along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has remained a significant source of tension between the two neighboring countries. Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take credible, effective, and verifiable measures against terrorist organizations operating from Afghan soil in order to promote regional peace, security, and stability.
Defence and security analysts note that Lt. Gen. Sadat’s public statements may contribute to the broader regional discussion concerning cross-border terrorism, state responsibility, and the evolving security environment in South Asia. They underscore the importance of sustained international cooperation to combat terrorism, dismantle extremist networks, and ensure that no country’s territory is used to threaten the sovereignty and security of another state.
