Islamabad. Pakistan on Monday urged the Taliban government of Afghanistan to stop terrorist attacks from inside Pakistan from its soil. Pakistan reiterated its warning that these same armed groups could eventually become a threat to its own Taliban rule. Tension has increased between the neighboring countries due to frequent border skirmishes and Pakistani air strikes. This has deepened the long-running dispute regarding terrorist activities.
In September, the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan reported that more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries have been recorded from cross-border violence in Afghanistan this year. In his speech at a think tank broadcast on Pakistani television, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he had once warned Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund during his visit to Kabul in July 2025.
“I politely reminded them that if the Afghan authorities fail to take appropriate action against terrorist groups operating from their territory, the day will come when these same groups will threaten their government as well,” Dar said. He did not give any details of Afghanistan's response.
What are Afghanistan's allegations and Pakistan's reaction?
Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Pakistan's allegations in a post on Twitter. He accused Pakistani officials of undermining talks and prioritizing propaganda over solutions.
“Blaming Afghanistan for its own failures by Pakistani officials is not the solution to any problem,” Mujahid wrote. Pakistan's Information Ministry rejected Mujahid's comments.
The ministry said on the issue that Islamabad is committed to talks, but for progress to be made Kabul must meet its counter-terrorism commitments. Additionally, verifiable action must be taken against terrorist hideouts and support networks.
Which terrorist groups does Pakistan blame?
Pakistan often accuses Kabul of harboring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Apart from this, it is also accused of harboring the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. The TTP is separate from, but closely affiliated with, Afghanistan's ruling Taliban.
The Taliban government of Afghanistan has repeatedly refused to provide safe haven to terrorists targeting Pakistan. Dar said Pakistan's diplomatic and economic efforts towards Kabul have not yielded any meaningful progress on its central security demand. This demand is for action against terrorists operating from Afghan soil.
What is the scale of cross-border attacks?
Dar said Pakistan wants a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, but can no longer ignore the persistent terrorist threat from across the border. “Attacks inside Pakistan are planned, directed and launched from across the border,” he said.
Dar said that Pakistan Army has completed about 95 percent of the fencing work along the more than 2,600 km long border with Afghanistan. This fence was started in 2017 after cross-border attacks by terrorists. Dar described TTP as one of Pakistan's most serious security threats. He cited attacks on schools, mosques, markets and security establishments.
Pakistan says nearly 3,000 people have been killed or injured in more than 2,800 terror attacks since January. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar blamed Afghanistan-based terrorists, especially the TTP, for the increase in violence.
Citing UN and independent assessments, Tarar said there are more than 6,000 TTP fighters in Afghanistan and more than 20,000 terrorists overall. He accused the TTP of using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan after the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.