The Afghan Taliban’s recent issuance of a so-called fatwa pledging that Afghan soil will not be used against other countries is being widely touted by some international circles as a “positive step.” However, anyone familiar with the Taliban’s long history of duplicity, ideological rigidity, and strategic deception knows this claim for what it truly is: a hollow diplomatic gesture designed to placate international actors without changing reality on the ground. For Pakistan, it is crucial to critically examine this fatwa and understand that unless it is followed by concrete, verifiable actions, it is nothing more than a whitewash meant to create an illusion of compliance and cooperation.
The claim that Afghanistan will no longer allow its territory to be used for cross-border attacks is not new. The Taliban have repeatedly issued similar statements since 2021, following their return to power, each time after diplomatic or financial pressure. These statements, however, have never translated into meaningful restraint against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continue to operate freely from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, launch attacks across the border, and issue threats against Pakistani citizens and institutions. The Taliban’s rhetoric, therefore, must be understood as predictable and superficial, rather than indicative of a genuine policy shift.
To grasp the gravity of the situation, one must look at the Taliban’s ideological underpinnings. Deep down, the Taliban do not recognize Pakistan’s system of governance as legitimate or Islamic. They consider Pakistan’s legal and political structures as kufr, or un-Islamic, and have repeatedly questioned the authenticity of the Pakistan Army’s Islamic credentials. This ideological stance is critical because it fundamentally shapes their policies toward Pakistan: the Taliban do not see Pakistan as a partner, but as a state that must ultimately be subordinated to their interpretation of Sharia law and jihad. The fatwa, in this context, is not a genuine step toward peace it is a tool of deception to avoid accountability.
Pakistan has already suffered enormously due to cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. The TTP has carried out hundreds of deadly attacks against civilians, security forces, and infrastructure, leading to thousands of deaths and injuries. The Taliban’s fatwa does not address these realities. For Pakistan, a statement alone is inadequate and dangerously misleading. What is needed are concrete, verifiable steps that ensure Afghan territory is no longer used as a base for terror operations against Pakistan. These steps must include:
1. Strongly restraining the TTP: The Taliban must take active, observable measures to restrict TTP movements, communications, and operational capabilities. Mere rhetoric will not suffice.
2. Publicly naming and condemning the TTP as a terrorist organization: Without this, the Taliban continue to provide ideological and operational cover to a group responsible for mass killings inside Pakistan.
3. Explicitly prohibiting TTP attacks on Pakistan: Clear, enforceable directives must be issued and monitored to ensure no operations against Pakistan are planned or executed from Afghan soil.
4. Banning Afghan citizens from participating in suicide missions or other attacks inside Pakistan: The Taliban must control cross-border jihadist recruitment and training within Afghanistan, ensuring that Afghan nationals do not participate in Pakistani-targeted terrorism.
5. Openly declaring that there is no jihad against Pakistan and recognizing Pakistan’s legitimacy: The Taliban must renounce any ideological justification for targeting Pakistan, reaffirming the country’s sovereignty and security as sacrosanct.
Unless these steps are verifiably implemented, the fatwa remains a diplomatic façade rather than a meaningful security guarantee. Pakistan’s policymakers must understand this distinction. Accepting Taliban statements at face value without enforcement mechanisms would be strategically naïve and could endanger national security.
It is also essential to consider the historical pattern of Taliban behavior. Since their inception in the 1990s, the Taliban have consistently prioritized ideological goals over pragmatic diplomacy. Even during periods when they have engaged with international actors for legitimacy or aid, the Taliban have often reverted to harboring extremist groups, enforcing strict religious interpretations, and undermining neighboring countries’ security. The 2021 Taliban takeover was accompanied by promises of moderation and inclusivity, yet these promises have largely been broken. Minority rights remain under severe threat, women’s access to education and employment is severely restricted, and cross-border militancy continues unabated.
Pakistan, therefore, must approach the fatwa with healthy skepticism. The country cannot rely solely on verbal assurances while terrorist groups continue to find safe havens just across the border. This is not a matter of bilateral trust but of national security. Pakistan’s military and intelligence apparatus must continue to monitor, disrupt, and deter cross-border threats, irrespective of the Taliban’s declarations. Diplomacy alone cannot protect Pakistani citizens from terrorism originating in Afghanistan.
Moreover, the fatwa appears to be timed for maximum diplomatic effect. International pressure on the Taliban, particularly from Western nations and the United Nations, has increased following reports of Taliban violations of human rights and failure to prevent terrorist activity. By issuing such statements, the Taliban aim to ward off further sanctions, secure aid, and gain diplomatic legitimacy, without taking real action. Pakistan, which bears the direct human and economic cost of Taliban-enabled terrorism, must not be deceived by this strategic maneuvering.
Another layer of concern is the Taliban’s attitude toward the eastern border with Pakistan. Historically, the Taliban have questioned the legitimacy of the Durand Line, the internationally recognized border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their ideological rejection of the border feeds into proxy operations by groups like the TTP, who exploit Taliban-controlled areas for staging attacks in Pakistan. Without a Taliban commitment to respecting Pakistan’s borders and sovereignty, any fatwa is little more than rhetoric.
In practical terms, Pakistan’s policymakers must adopt a multi-pronged approach. While diplomacy remains important, it must be paired with intelligence-driven counterterrorism operations, border security, and regional cooperation to prevent militant infiltration. Simultaneously, Pakistan must engage international partners to hold the Taliban accountable for the TTP safe havens, cross-border attacks, and ideological propagation that continue unabated. Accepting a fatwa without enforcement is not just insufficient; it is potentially dangerous.
Furthermore, Pakistan should actively highlight Taliban duplicity in international forums. By documenting violations, tracking TTP movements, and providing credible evidence of ongoing threats emanating from Afghan territory, Pakistan can counter any narrative of Taliban compliance. This proactive approach ensures that global actors cannot be misled by superficial declarations, and that Pakistan’s security concerns remain at the forefront of international discourse.
In conclusion, the Taliban’s latest fatwa is less a commitment and more a deception, a rehash of familiar rhetoric intended to appease international scrutiny while leaving the status quo intact. Pakistan cannot afford to be complacent. True security and peace require verifiable action, not statements. Unless the Taliban take concrete steps restraining the TTP, banning attacks on Pakistan, respecting the border, and recognizing Pakistan’s legitimacy their fatwa is nothing more than a diplomatic whitewash.
Pakistan’s national interest demands vigilance, strategic clarity, and an unwavering commitment to protecting its citizens. It is time for policymakers and the public to see through Taliban rhetoric and recognize that security cannot be delegated to a regime that fundamentally rejects Pakistan’s legitimacy and continues to harbor threats against the country. The path forward is clear: actions, not words, will determine whether the Taliban are serious about peace, or if this is just another chapter in their long history of deception.
