Pakistan has declared that any form of support, shelter, or facilitation extended by the Afghan Taliban to terrorist groups is unacceptable, emphasizing that groups such as Fitna al-Hindustan (Balochistan Liberation Army , BLA) and Fitna al-Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan – TTP) are enemies of both the State and people of Pakistan.
In an official statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andarabi said that anyone providing refuge, assistance, or financial aid to these groups would not be regarded as a friend or ally of Pakistan. He reaffirmed that such elements seek to destabilize Pakistan and undermine regional peace.
Andarabi said the third round of talks mediated by Turkey and Qatar concluded in Istanbul on November 7. Pakistan, he added, values the mediation efforts by Ankara and Doha aimed at halting cross-border attacks originating from Afghan soil.
The spokesperson noted that since August 2021, there has been a marked increase in terrorist incidents inside Pakistan originating from Afghanistan. Despite suffering severe human and financial losses over the past four years, Pakistan exercised restraint, he said, expressing disappointment that the Afghan Taliban had yet to take concrete action against the TTP and BLA despite repeated assurances.
He recalled that Pakistan had extended multiple forms of assistance to the Afghan people, including trade concessions, humanitarian support, and facilitation in educational and medical visas, besides maintaining constructive engagement with Kabul at international forums. “Unfortunately, most of the commitments made by the Afghan Taliban have remained superficial and ineffective,” he said.
Andarabi explained that during the first round of talks in Doha, both sides had agreed on basic principles and a temporary truce. The second round was aimed at developing a mechanism for implementing those principles; however, the Afghan delegation attempted to retract from prior commitments, resorting instead to blame and inflammatory rhetoric that undermined the negotiation environment.
He said that in the third round of talks, Pakistan once again emphasized the need for an effective monitoring mechanism, but the Afghan side sought to expand the agenda and prolong discussions by including irrelevant issues. “Due to the attitude of the Afghan Taliban, no substantive agreement could be reached,” the spokesperson said.
Andarabi added that while some elements within the Afghan Taliban did not seek confrontation with Pakistan, a powerful lobby backed by external financiers was actively working to stoke tensions. He described the issuance of anti-Pakistan fatwas and the continuation of terrorist activities from Afghan soil as serious security concerns.
“Pakistan remains committed to dialogue and peace,” Andarabi concluded, “but the root cause must first be addressed the use of Afghan territory for terrorism against Pakistan. Until this threat is eliminated, Pakistan will continue to take every necessary step to safeguard its borders and its people.”
