Pakistan rejects Kabul’s claims, demands action against militant groups

Pakistan has rejected accusations by the Afghan Taliban that Islamabad is blaming Kabul for its domestic security challenges urging the Afghan authorities to take concrete measures against militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistan has rejected accusations by the Afghan Taliban that Islamabad is blaming Kabul for its domestic security challenges urging the Afghan authorities to take concrete measures against militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan territory.

In a statement issued on Saturday Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the Afghan Taliban’s response as an attempt to divert attention from Islamabad’s longstanding security concerns. It called on Kabul to prevent organisations such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) from using Afghan soil to plan or carry out attacks.

The response followed remarks by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid who said Pakistani security institutions were blaming Afghanistan to conceal their own shortcomings in maintaining law and order.

Pakistan rejected that argument maintaining that allegations against its security agencies did not remove the Afghan authorities’ responsibility to prevent cross-border militant activity. The ministry said Kabul must end any alleged support facilitation or tolerance of armed groups and provide credible evidence of action against them.

To support its concerns Islamabad referred to a United Nations Security Council monitoring report and a US Lead Inspector General report covering Operation Enduring Sentinel for January to March 2026. According to Pakistan’s interpretation of the US assessment the TTP continues to operate from Afghanistan, where its freedom of movement and alleged Taliban support have contributed to increased attacks inside Pakistan. The report was cited as estimating the group’s strength at between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters.

The ministry also pointed to attempted cross-border infiltrations casualties during counterterrorism operations and the recovery of foreign-made weapons from militants as issues requiring serious attention. It further raised concerns about alleged assistance to militant organisations by Afghan Taliban officials including figures based in Kandahar.

Islamabad stressed that its security operations were directed against militant threats rather than the Afghan population. It said stability in both countries was interconnected and that ordinary Afghans, like Pakistanis would benefit from a region free of terrorism.

Pakistan added that it remained willing to engage with Kabul provided discussions were based on mutual respect, verifiable commitments and practical steps to dismantle militant networks and prevent infiltration.

Mujahid meanwhile denied that Afghanistan was facilitating attacks against Pakistan. He argued that instability in Pakistan also harmed Afghanistan economically and socially while accusing Pakistani officials of shifting responsibility and pursuing policies that undermined regional stability.

The exchange highlights continuing disagreements between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border militancy with Pakistan demanding verifiable action and the Afghan Taliban rejecting the accusations.