Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that relations with Afghanistan cannot return to normal unless the Taliban regime ends its support for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
In an interview with a news channel on Friday, Asif stressed that lasting peace between the two neighbours depends on Kabul taking firm action against the Pakistani Taliban group, which has been responsible for a surge in cross-border attacks.
He claimed that many TTP militants have found sanctuary inside Afghanistan and continue to infiltrate Pakistani territory, adding that Islamabad’s foremost concern is to stop terrorism originating from across the border.
Asif’s remarks followed a statement by Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who described the TTP issue as Pakistan’s “internal matter” and urged Islamabad to handle it domestically. Speaking in Kabul a day earlier, Haqqani said the Taliban may lack “tanks, artillery, or aircraft,” but remain ready to defend Afghanistan against any foreign threat.
He warned that other nations should learn from the experiences of the Soviet Union, NATO, and the United States, and accused some elements within Pakistan of “fanning the flames of war,” risking greater instability in the region.
As tensions rise over militant sanctuaries and border security, observers say the exchange highlights deepening mistrust between Islamabad and Kabul — a rift that threatens to complicate counterterrorism cooperation and regional stability.
