Pakistan has strongly rejected recent statements by the Taliban spokesperson accusing Islamabad of interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, asserting that the real issue remains the continued use of Afghan territory by militant groups targeting Pakistan.
Officials and security analysts point out that Pakistan’s concerns are not political or ideological but security-driven, rooted in repeated cross-border attacks claimed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). These attacks, they say, have resulted in heavy civilian and security force casualties and have been traced to operational sanctuaries across the border.
Pakistan maintains that it has consistently raised the issue through diplomatic channels, seeking cooperation rather than confrontation. However, the refusal of the Taliban administration to take credible action against TTP elements has widened the trust deficit and intensified tensions between the two neighbours.
Islamabad argues that concerns over Afghanistan’s role in regional instability are not unique to Pakistan. Similar alarms have been raised by regional powers and global institutions, warning that militant groups operating from Afghan soil pose a broader threat to international peace and security.
Security officials also express deep concern over Afghanistan’s expanding external engagements, particularly with countries hostile to Pakistan. Analysts warn that emerging strategic alignments, combined with advanced surveillance capabilities and reported training support, risk turning Afghanistan into a staging ground for destabilising activities against Pakistan.
Pakistan further stresses that its measures—ranging from border enforcement to targeted security operations—are defensive in nature and fall within its sovereign right to protect its population and territorial integrity. Officials insist that no state can be expected to remain passive in the face of sustained cross-border violence.
On the humanitarian front, Pakistan notes that it has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, provided access to education and healthcare, and supported Afghanistan through periods of conflict and isolation. Officials say accusations questioning Pakistan’s intentions ignore this long record of support and sacrifice.
Islamabad has reiterated that it seeks a stable, peaceful Afghanistan that does not serve as a hub for militancy or regional rivalry. It has called on the Taliban administration to match its claims of independence with verifiable action against terrorist groups, respect the concerns of neighbouring states, and align its policies with international norms.
Until such steps are taken, Pakistani officials warn, tensions are likely to persist—not because of imagined influence or control, but because of unresolved security threats that continue to endanger regional stability.
