Pakistan Has “No More Hopes” from Afghan Taliban: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that Pakistan no longer has expectations from Afghanistan’s de facto rulers, describing the Afghan Taliban as a “ragtag group”. Asif said it would be unwise to trust the group, adding, “It will be folly to trust them [Afghan Taliban]. We have tried to remain civil with them […] but they’ve not repaid how one should to the soil that’s provided home to two of their generations.”

His comments came a day after a suicide attack at the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar killed three officers and injured 11 others.

Pakistan has experienced a significant increase in terrorist incidents since 2021, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Despite repeated appeals from Islamabad, the interim Afghan government has not taken effective action against militants using Afghan territory for cross-border attacks.

Earlier today, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Noor Wali Mehsud orchestrated the recent Islamabad suicide bombing that left 12 people dead. Security forces have also killed several terrorists in recent operations, many of whom were Afghan nationals.

Bilateral relations deteriorated further after clashes in October, when Taliban forces, supported by TTP elements, attacked Pakistani posts, resulting in the martyrdom of nearly two dozen soldiers. Pakistan retaliated with major strikes inside Afghanistan. A ceasefire was later reached in Doha with the support of friendly nations, but talks collapsed after Kabul refused to provide a written commitment to act against militants wanted by Pakistan.

Asif noted that regional partners including Turkiye, China and Qatar are pursuing stability, emphasising that peace would benefit all countries. He stated that if “the terrorism factory ceases to exist and Afghan people are allowed to earn money”, the positive effects would extend across the region. He added that the Afghan Taliban are the “enemies of the Afghan people”.

He also rejected accusations from the Taliban government claiming Pakistan had carried out strikes in Khost, Kunar and Paktika, allegedly killing 10 civilians. Terming the allegations “baseless and non-existent”, Asif said, “As a state, we do retaliate when required, but we never target civilians.” He underscored the discipline of Pakistan’s armed forces, contrasting it with the conduct of the Taliban, saying, “They are not like our disciplined forces. They are a ragtag group with no code of conduct and no religious linkages.”

Asif said Pakistan had exercised patience for years but had now reached its limits. “One should hope for good and not write off another until limits are crossed. But now, we are completely writing them off, and we do not expect anything good from them.”

Earlier in the day, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of drone and aircraft strikes in three Afghan provinces. Khost’s governor’s spokesperson Mustaghfir Gurbuz alleged that 10 people were killed. Mujahid warned that the Taliban would respond at a time of its choosing, stating the group’s right to defend its territory.

However, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, denied the accusations, calling them “baseless”. He asserted that Pakistan has not carried out strikes inside Afghanistan and emphasized that the country operates transparently and strictly avoids civilian casualties. “We are a state and respond only as a state,” he said.