Taliban will pay heavy price, warns DG ISPR

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has warned Afghanistan’s Taliban regime that it will have to face serious consequences if it refuses to address Pakistan’s concerns over cross-border terrorism.

In an interview with British news agency Reuters, the military spokesperson accused the Afghan Taliban of providing support to militant groups operating against Pakistan. He also alleged that the Taliban regime was acting as a proxy for India and said non-state actors continued to exercise influence in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were also Indian proxies being used against Pakistan. He described India as the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the country.

The DG ISPR further alleged that the Afghan Taliban were using non-state actors and hired fighters to pursue their objectives. He said the security situation in Afghanistan had become increasingly complicated following the Soviet intervention, which allowed various intelligence networks and proxy groups to establish their presence.

He also pointed to the alleged presence of several international militant organisations in Afghanistan, including Jaish al-Adl, Al-Qaeda and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). He said the United Nations, the United States and several other countries had previously highlighted concerns about militant networks operating from Afghan territory.

Explaining Pakistan’s demands, the military spokesperson said Islamabad was asking the Afghan Taliban to stop supporting terrorist groups targeting Pakistan. He alleged that the regime was providing shelter to wanted militant commanders, including Noor Wali Mehsud, Bashir Zeb and Gul Bahadur.

According to the DG ISPR, militant groups carry out attacks inside Pakistan after receiving support, weapons and operational assistance from across the Afghan border. He maintained that the movement of terrorist formations from Afghanistan remained a major security concern for Pakistan.

He warned that continued failure by the Taliban authorities to address these concerns would carry serious consequences. His remarks underline Islamabad’s growing frustration over what it describes as the use of Afghan territory by militant groups to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

The military spokesperson also questioned the international standing of the Taliban government, saying it lacked global credibility. He urged the international community to press the Afghan authorities to adopt the conduct expected of a normal state and fulfil their international responsibilities.

He further called on world powers to push the Taliban regime to stop the cultivation and production of narcotics in Afghanistan.

Addressing Pakistan’s security preparedness, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the armed forces had the capability to counter all threats originating from Afghanistan, including potential drone attacks.

His remarks come amid continuing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over militant activity, border security and allegations of cross-border support for armed groups. Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Afghan authorities to prevent their territory from being used against its security, while the allegations remain a major point of friction between the two sides.