ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry stated that terrorism continues to hinder the improvement of bilateral relations with the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, citing concerns over militant sanctuaries across the border.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that while Pakistan remains committed to engaging with the Taliban, security concerns remain a major roadblock.
“We have been trying to improve relations, but the major obstacle remains the security situation and the sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists,” Khan said during a weekly press briefing.
His remarks follow a recent visit to Kabul by Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq. During the visit, both sides agreed to continue engagement on key issues, including security, trade and refugee matters.
Khan noted that the visit was “very successful” and that a number of understandings were reached on next steps. According to Pakistani officials, Taliban Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi is expected to travel to Islamabad after Eid for follow-up talks.
Despite these diplomatic gestures, tensions between the two sides have persisted.
Speaking at a recent seminar hosted by a policy think tank, Sadiq warned that all agreements with the Taliban could be revoked if concerns about terrorism emanating from Afghan territory are not addressed. “If they are not working on this, then all deals are off,” he said.
Pakistani officials say attacks on their security forces have increased since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Islamabad continues to blame the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, for much of the violence, alleging the group operates freely from Afghan soil.
Taliban have rejected those claims, insisting that Afghanistan is not used as a staging ground for attacks against other countries.
Nevertheless, both sides have signaled interest in maintaining dialogue. But officials in Islamabad have made clear that resolving the terrorism issue is central to improving relations.
