As tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan continues, the Pakistani defense minister, Khawaja Asif, has said that “the Taliban regime” is unrepresentative of the Afghan people and that it has systematically violated human rights in the country over the past four years.
“The non-representative Taliban regime suffers from deep internal divisions and is responsible for the continued repression of ethnic groups, women, children and minorities in Afghanistan,” Asif wrote Saturday on X. “They have deprived the Afghan people of basic rights including freedom of expression, education and political representation.”
The minister’s remarks came in response to recent comments by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, who, in an interview with a Pakistani media outlet, accused Pakistan’s military of destabilizing the border regions through airstrikes and claimed that such actions were laying the groundwork for the return of US forces to Bagram Air Base — a former American military hub in Afghanistan.
The exchange marks a new phase in the already fraught relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban. While Islamabad once served as a key backer of the Taliban, ties have deteriorated in recent years over growing security concerns and mutual distrust.
In a separate interview, Asif claimed that during previous rounds of negotiations, a Taliban delegation had asked Pakistan to provide 10 billion rupees (approximately $35 million) to facilitate the relocation of members of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant organization with historical ties to both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
Pakistan has long accused the Taliban of providing sanctuary to TTP fighters inside Afghanistan — a charge the Taliban leadership has repeatedly denied. In turn, the Taliban has alleged that the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch, responsible for attacks in Afghanistan, is entering the country from Pakistani territory.
Following eight days of cross-border clashes in October, the two sides agreed to resume dialogue under mediation by Turkey and Qatar. The talks, held in both Doha and Istanbul, ended without a breakthrough but reportedly produced a cease-fire agreement.
Analysts say neither side has yielded to the other’s demands. Pakistan continues to press the Taliban to take decisive action against TTP elements operating inside Afghanistan’s territory, while the Taliban maintains that addressing such concerns falls beyond its current capabilities.
Despite the stalemate, Turkish and Qatari mediators announced that a new round of high-level negotiations between Taliban and Pakistani delegations is scheduled for Nov. 6 in Turkey.
“The two sides are locked in a blame game, but regional actors see continued engagement as the only path forward,” said Wais Naseri, a political analyst based in Kabul.
Tensions between the Taliban and Islamabad have also intensified against the backdrop of Pakistan’s ongoing effort to deport over one million undocumented Afghans, a move that has drawn criticism from rights groups and international observers.
