Pakistan says Afghan Taliban fueling Pashtun narrative and backing anti-Pakistan militants

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has issued a sharp rebuke to Afghanistan’s Taliban administration, accusing it of aiding anti-Pakistan militant groups, invoking ethnic narratives against Islamabad, and failing to curb cross-border terrorism.

The remarks came during the FO’s weekly media briefing on Friday, setting a tense backdrop for already strained bilateral ties.

FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Afghan Taliban were assisting anti-Pakistan organizations and attempting to stoke Pashtun nationalism, while portraying terrorism as solely “Pakistan’s problem.”

He added that individuals within Afghanistan had issued fatwas legitimizing attacks on Pakistan. Countering Kabul’s narrative, he noted that more Pashtuns live in Pakistan than in Afghanistan.

'Open to Kabul, not to militants'

Clarifying Islamabad’s stance, the spokesperson stressed that Pakistan has never refused engagement with any government in Kabul, but will not negotiate with militant outfits.

“Pakistan will not negotiate with the TTP or the BLA,” he said, confirming that talks with the Taliban regime concluded in Istanbul on November 7. He added that terrorist attacks inside Pakistan had surged since the Taliban takeover despite Islamabad’s restraint.

“Pakistan expected the Taliban to act against terrorism, but their commitments remained only verbal,” he stated.

Trade tied to action against terror sanctuaries

Addressing recent Afghan statements on trade, the FO emphasized that every state has the sovereign right to determine its trading relationships. However, it said both bilateral and transit trade with Afghanistan depend on the complete dismantling of terrorist safe havens on Afghan soil.

Trade, he noted, “cannot outweigh the value of human lives lost in terrorist attacks.”

The spokesperson added that Afghan nationals were implicated in recent attacks in Wana and Islamabad, saying Kabul must assume responsibility and that Pakistan “must take all necessary steps to protect its citizens.”

Clarification on alleged meeting with Israeli minister

Responding to reports that Pakistan’s National Coordinator on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas, met Israel’s tourism minister, the FO said it had no information about such an engagement.

“If such a meeting took place, it was without formal government authorization,” the spokesperson said.

He also accused India of exploiting terrorism for political gain and dismissed Indian claims regarding a recent blast as “fairy tales.” Pakistan rejected India’s allegations about nuclear testing, calling them “false and baseless,” and reaffirmed that its last nuclear test took place on May 28, 1998.

Citing India’s “poor nuclear safety record,” he referred to the californium that surfaced on the black market after being stolen from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, urging global bodies to take notice.

Jordan’s king to raise Palestine issue during visit

On Jordan’s monarch visiting Pakistan, the FO said the trip underscored strong bilateral relations and expressed confidence that the situation in Palestine would feature in discussions.

Regarding Pakistan’s potential role in an international stabilization force for Palestine, the FO said no decision had been taken yet. As a current member of the UN Security Council, Pakistan will determine its position once the Council issues a directive.