Pakistan demands verifiable Taliban action against militant groups
Pakistan has demanded verifiable action from Afghanistan’s Taliban government against militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban and Balochistan Liberation Army. The information ministry responded after a Taliban spokesman denied responsibility for insecurity in Pakistan. Islamabad cited UN and US assessments in renewing its allegations while saying engagement based on mutual respect remained possible. The parties’ claims about cross-border attacks remain independently unverified.
Geopolitics··Midday
Islamabad demands action after Kabul’s denial
Pakistan’s information ministry demanded verifiable action from Afghanistan’s Taliban government against militant groups on 24 October. It rejected Kabul’s denial of responsibility for insecurity in Pakistan and said Afghan territory must not be used to plan or launch attacks across the border. The statement named the Pakistani Taliban and the Balochistan Liberation Army among the groups whose alleged support networks Islamabad wants ended.[1], [2]
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had said the previous day that Kabul had neither the intention nor the capacity to destabilize Pakistan. He accused Pakistani security institutions of shifting blame for failures at home. Mujahid also argued that insecurity in Pakistan would damage Afghanistan economically, socially and in humanitarian terms. Islamabad rejected that explanation.[2]
Pakistan cites international assessments in its allegations
The ministry cited a United Nations Security Council sanctions monitoring report and a US inspector-general assessment covering January to March. According to Islamabad’s description of the US assessment, the Afghan Taliban continued to allow Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Pakistani militant movement commonly known as TTP, to operate from Afghan territory. These were Pakistan’s representations of those assessments.[1], [2]
Islamabad also sought explanations about attempted cross-border infiltration, Afghan nationals killed in Pakistani counterterrorism operations and foreign-made weapons recovered in those operations. It alleged that Taliban officials, including people based in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, facilitated militant groups. The origin of attacks and the alleged facilitation remain disputed claims rather than independently established findings.[1], [2]
Pakistan leaves the door open to engagement
The ministry called for an end to tolerance, facilitation or support for TTP, the Balochistan Liberation Army and their affiliates. It said Pakistan’s security measures targeted militant threats rather than the Afghan population. The two neighbours have faced worsening tensions over attacks in Pakistan, border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.[1], [2]
Pakistan said responsible engagement based on mutual respect remained possible, while maintaining that its national security was not negotiable. The ministry described the two countries’ peace and stability as interconnected and tied regional peace to verifiable measures addressing its concerns. Kabul’s rejection of responsibility and Islamabad’s demand for action leave the underlying disagreement over militant activity unresolved.[1], [2]
