Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan remained the world&rsquo;s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.&nbsp;The report stated, &ldquo;Afghanistan continues to be the largest supplier country globally for the trafficking and production of heroin and other opiates.&rdquo;&nbsp;It noted that trafficking routes through the Balkans and southern and northern corridors remained the most frequently used. Among these, the Balkan route, which passed through T&uuml;rkiye, had &ldquo;the highest intensity of use.&rdquo;&nbsp;Historically, the Balkan route had been the principal channel for moving Afghan opiates to Western and Central Europe. From Afghanistan, drugs passed through Iran and T&uuml;rkiye before splitting into three main branches.&nbsp;Political changes in Afghanistan, which in April 2021 supplied about 80% of the global illegal opioid market, had led to &ldquo;significant decreases in the supply of opioids in drug markets, especially heroin,&rdquo; the report said.&nbsp;In response, there had been an increase in synthetic opioid derivatives in Europe and pharmacies, including &ldquo;fentanyl analogs and nitazenes,&rdquo; which had increasingly been linked to serious health risks and fatalities.&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye, located on the Balkan route, continued to play a key role in heroin seizures. While total seizures in 2024 were lower than in previous years, the report highlighted a &ldquo;31% increase compared to the previous year, reaching 4.3 tons.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/37627031-cb6d-4aff-84c0-1232f90b641b.png" style="width: 558px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><div style="text-align: left; line-height: 2;">Source: Turkish Drug Report 2025</div>&nbsp;The report attributed this rise primarily to a &ldquo;19% increase in opium cultivation areas in Afghanistan&rdquo; in 2024.&nbsp;&ldquo;Despite the political developments in recent years, Afghanistan continued to be the country that supplied the most illegal opiates to illegal drug markets worldwide,&rdquo; the report emphasized. Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan expanded from 10,800 hectares in 2023 to 12,800 hectares in 2024.&nbsp;Following the Taliban&rsquo;s bans on opium, the report anticipated that &ldquo;continent-based drug trafficking groups may turn to the trafficking of different drug types&rdquo; to offset profit losses from declining heroin supplies.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan remained the world’s largest supplier of heroin and other opiates, with the Balkan route experiencing the highest intensity of trafficking, according to the Turkish Drug Report 2025 released this week.

Afghanistan remains top global heroin supplier: Turkish police report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said on Friday that he held a &ldquo;productive meeting&rdquo; with US Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to discuss the evolving partnership between the two countries. According to a post on X, Ambassador Sheikh said the discussions focused on regional security challenges, including &ldquo;the escalating and sponsored terrorism from Afghanistan,&rdquo; and the &ldquo;urgent need to address the leftover military equipment.&rdquo; He emphasized that a &ldquo;stable, standalone Pak-US relationship remained vital to regional as well as global peace, security, and stability.&rdquo; The ambassador&rsquo;s remarks were posted publicly on X.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009413667822162146&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=065294287c286e3cffbb3a1dd7b8037f1b0b3cfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Economic and security cooperation&nbsp;Meanwhile, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Thursday that Pakistan and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation across various fields, with special focus on economic and security. The pledge came during a meeting between Ambassador Sheikh and the chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Brian Mast, in Washington.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 885px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2009041489691660353&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=065294287c286e3cffbb3a1dd7b8037f1b0b3cfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Both sides expressed a shared resolve to enhance the multifaceted partnership, underscoring its importance for mutual and regional stability. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together to further strengthen bilateral relations. &lsquo;Year of action&rsquo;&nbsp;The ambassador thanked the congressman for his leadership, efforts, and consistent support in promoting Pak-US relations. Referring to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio&rsquo;s commitment to transform bilateral ties into a long-term, sustainable partnership based on economic cooperation, Sheikh said 2026 should be declared a &ldquo;year of action.&rdquo; He emphasized the need for a high-level economic dialogue between the two countries to commence at the earliest. Stressing the importance of initiating a comprehensive and immediate dialogue across the fields of energy, defense, minerals, information technology, and artificial intelligence, the ambassador said that Pakistan, with its low-cost, high-quality capabilities, has the potential to meet the growing needs of the American market. Favorable trade environment&nbsp;Surgical instruments and products manufactured in Pakistan are renowned worldwide for their quality, he said, adding that a favorable trade environment and due attention will lead to a guaranteed increase in textile and other exports from Pakistan. He said that the continuous use of footballs manufactured in Sialkot in the last five FIFA World Cup matches is a testament to Pakistan&rsquo;s capabilities in the sports goods sector. Terrorism emanating from Kabul&nbsp;Meanwhile, exchanging views on the regional situation, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed pointed out that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan poses serious threats to Pakistan&rsquo;s security situation and regional and international peace. Due to the activities of terrorists taking refuge in Afghanistan, terrorist incidents in Pakistan increased by 40% in 2024 and by a further 25% in 2025, he said, and expressed serious concern over the continued illicit and aggressive use of weapons left behind by the US at the time of withdrawal from Afghanistan. The ambassador of Pakistan also invited Congressman Mast to visit Pakistan, saying that his visit would further strengthen parliamentary and public ties between the two countries.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s ambassador engages US lawmakers to advance security and economic cooperation, highlighting Afghanistan-linked terrorism, regional instability, and the need for sustained bilateral engagement.

Pakistan, US push strategic partnership amid security, economic challenges

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban leadership has carried out repeated administrative reshuffles by decree of Emir Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, a move critics say is consolidating power within a closed circle of loyalists and excluding others from important matters of governance.&nbsp;Over recent months, Akhundzada has ordered multiple rounds of appointments and reassignments across provincial administrations, security forces, and key ministries. Taliban interim spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the changes were made directly by the Emir.&nbsp;&ldquo;The appointments were made by the Emir,&rdquo; the spokesperson said in a statement announcing the latest reshuffle, which involved 25 officials, including provincial governors, corps commanders, and senior local administrators.&nbsp;Under the changes, Qari Gul Haidar Shafiq was appointed governor of Bamyan province, while outgoing Bamyan governor Abdullah Sarhadi was named governor of Jawzjan. Ahmad Shah Dindost, former commander of the 205th Al-Badr Corps, was appointed governor of Sar-e-Pol, replacing the previous governor.&nbsp;Andar Gul Abdullah, formerly chief of staff of the 201st Khalid bin Walid Corps, was appointed deputy governor of Laghman. Akhundzada also approved three new appointments in Kandahar, including a district chief, a commissioner, and a military commander, and authorized 15 additional changes within the defense ministry.&nbsp;Further restructuring followed within the corps command system. The former governor of Sar-e-Pol was appointed commander of the 205th Al-Badr Corps, while the former deputy commander of Panjshir&rsquo;s special brigade was named deputy commander of the same corps.&nbsp;Earlier decrees issued by Akhundzada last year also reassigned senior Taliban officials across provinces and ministries. These included governors, security commanders, department heads, and intelligence officials being rotated into new roles, according to Taliban-run announcements.&nbsp;In one reshuffle, Sher Mohammad Sharif, previously director general of border police at the interior ministry, was appointed governor of Zabul province, while Hezbollah Afghan, the former Zabul governor, assumed Sharif&rsquo;s previous post. Other reassignments placed Taliban officials into agriculture, port administration, district governance, and religious oversight roles.&nbsp;The Taliban leadership has largely relied on reassigning existing members rather than appointing external professionals or technocrats. That approach drew attention in December, when Mawlawi Mohammad Wazir Fedayi, a cleric, was appointed water adviser at the energy and water ministry, replacing Dr Farooq Azam, a PhD-holder in water resources.&nbsp;Dr Azam was removed after publicly criticizing the ban on girls&rsquo; education and pointing to weaknesses in the Taliban&rsquo;s law on the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice.&nbsp;Estimates indicate that between January 2025 and January 2026, Akhundzada overhauled Afghanistan&rsquo;s administrative structure six times through decrees.&nbsp;Critics inside Afghanistan have condemned the process, describing it as a &ldquo;monopolization&rdquo; of authority that places government institutions firmly in the hands of a narrow group of Taliban loyalists. They argue that many appointees lack the professional qualifications and administrative experience required to manage critical sectors.&nbsp;Citizens have also voiced concerns that the closed-circle appointments are worsening unemployment, deepening poverty, and eroding public trust in state institutions amid Afghanistan&rsquo;s ongoing economic crisis.&nbsp;Despite sustained domestic and international criticism, Taliban leaders have shown little indication of opening government positions to wider segments of Afghan society or forming a more inclusive administration.

Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada repeatedly reshuffles loyalists across government posts, prompting criticism that closed-circle appointments monopolize power, sideline professionals, and worsen Afghanistan’s economic and governance crises

Taliban reshuffles loyalists as critics warn of power monopolization

ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have called for more &ldquo;visible and verifiable&rdquo; actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent them from using Kabul&rsquo;s territory for terrorism against any other country. This was said in a joint press communiqu&eacute; of the Seventh Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue, shared by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its X account on Monday.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 650px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008047308374683926&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=e7b973618ac13baeaa9694f9063a7a18ae1fa8fe&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div>Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is visiting China at the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, Wang Yi, from Jan. 3 to 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;On January 4, 2026, Yi and Dar co-chaired the Seventh Round of China-Pakistan Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue in Beijing&rdquo;, the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute; said.&nbsp;The Afghan issue&nbsp;Pakistan and China, &ldquo;agreed to keep in close communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, work with the international community to encourage the Afghan government to build an inclusive political framework, adopt moderate policies, focus on development, pursue good-neighborliness, and play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan achieve stable development and integrate into the international community.&rdquo;&nbsp; The two countries &ldquo;called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organizations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country and to endanger any other country.&rdquo; Strategic communication&nbsp;The communiqu&eacute; said, &ldquo;During the dialogue, the two sides agreed to enhance strategic communication, deepen strategic mutual trust, jointly safeguard their common interests, promote the economic and social development of the two countries, and safeguard and advance peace, development, and prosperity of the region and beyond.&rdquo; All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners&ldquo;The two sides reiterated that China and Pakistan are All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners enjoying ironclad friendship and strategic mutual trust,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; added.&nbsp; It further said, &ldquo;The two sides will act on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, implement the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era (2025-2029) signed by the two governments, and keep the building of the China-Pakistan community with a shared future at the forefront of the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.&rdquo; According to the communiqu&eacute;, Pakistan &ldquo;congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;China congratulated Pakistani leaders on leading the country to achieve macroeconomic stability and to lay a solid foundation for national economic growth centered on Pakistan&rsquo;s National Economic Transformation Plan (2024-2029) (URAAN Pakistan) and for its people to share the fruits of development and prosperity.&rdquo;&nbsp; One-China principle&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle, and reiterated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China&rsquo;s territory. Pakistan firmly supports China on issues concerning Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said.&nbsp; Meanwhile, it said &ldquo;China reiterated its steadfast support for Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.&rdquo; According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;China commended the comprehensive measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism and protect the safety of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp; It said, &ldquo;China fully recognized the significant contributions and huge sacrifices that Pakistan made in combating terrorism over the years.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with zero tolerance, and agreed to further deepen all-round cooperation on counter-terrorism and security, and make concerted efforts to ensure that the China-Pakistan Belt and Road cooperation advances in a secure and smooth manner.&rdquo; &ldquo;Calling on the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, the two sides expressed their firm opposition to double standards on counter-terrorism,&rdquo; the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute;&nbsp;said. On CPECOn CPEC, it said: &ldquo;The two sides agreed to further align their development plans and priorities, and build an upgraded version 2.0 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative.&rdquo;&nbsp; According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;The two sides agreed to focus on the three key sectors of industry, agriculture, and mining, promote the building and operation of the Gwadar Port, ensure the smooth passage of the Karakoram Highway, and enhance Pakistan&rsquo;s capacity for sustainable development.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;The two sides will take the year-round opening of the Khunjerab Pass as an opportunity to deepen two-way trade and people-to-people exchanges.&rdquo;&nbsp; It added: &ldquo;The two sides welcomed third-party participation in CPEC cooperation that conforms with the modalities set by China and Pakistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the financial and banking sectors,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said. &nbsp; It added: &ldquo;The two sides expressed satisfaction at their expanding space cooperation and for the expected early entrance of Pakistani astronauts into the China Space Station.&rdquo;&nbsp; Jammu and Kashmir dispute&nbsp;According to the communiqu&eacute;, &ldquo;China reiterated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is left over from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.&rdquo;&nbsp; The two sides expressed readiness to conduct trans-boundary water resources cooperation in accordance with the principle of equality and mutual benefit, it added. China and Pakistan &ldquo;expressed readiness to continue leveraging the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Dialogue and the China-Bangladesh-Pakistan cooperation mechanism to deliver new outcomes.&rdquo; The two countries &ldquo;reaffirmed their readiness to further enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative.&rdquo; &ldquo;China congratulated Pakistan on its outstanding performance during its UN Security Council presidency and expressed full support for Pakistan to work as the rotating president of the SCO from 2026 to 2027,&rdquo; the&nbsp;communiqu&eacute;&nbsp;said. Gaza ceasefire&nbsp;Pakistan and China &ldquo;called for an unconditional, comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and reaffirmed their support for the Palestinian people&rsquo;s right to self-determination.&rdquo; &ldquo;The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Ministers&rsquo; Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad next year on mutually convenient dates,&rdquo; the communiqu&eacute; said.</div>

The two countries call for more ‘visible and verifiable’ actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security.

 Pakistan, China call for more ‘verifiable’ actions against terrorist groups based in Afghanistan 

ISLAMABAD: A deadly confrontation along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border this week has left at least five people dead, including two Tajik border guards, after armed militants crossed into Tajik territory and exchanged fire with security forces, Tajikistan&rsquo;s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) said in an official statement on Friday. According to Tajikistan&#39;s border protection agency, heavily armed men infiltrated the village of Kavo in the Shamsiddin Shokhin district on Tuesday. When security forces tracked them down the next day, the intruders opened fire on a guard post, killing two Tajik personnel before three of the attackers were killed in the return fire.&nbsp; The weapons cache recovered from the scene included three M-16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, and explosives. Afghanistan has not yet commented on the incident.&nbsp; A pattern of escalating violence<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">This firefight is just the most recent flashpoint in what has become an increasingly volatile situation along the 1,340-kilometer frontier separating the two countries. The Tajik Border Troops said the latest clash was part of a series of security incidents along the Afghan frontier in recent weeks that have claimed more than a dozen lives this month, adding that Tajik forces have been placed on heightened alert amid repeated attempts by armed groups to cross the border. The violence has also increasingly targeted Chinese interests in the region. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, a drone armed with grenades struck employees of a Chinese gold-mining operation in November, killing three and wounding one. Within days, another attack saw gunfire from Afghan territory kill two Chinese construction workers and injure two more.&nbsp; Following the attack, the Chinese Embassy in Dushanbe in November&nbsp;urged its citizens to leave the region and pressed both Tajikistan and Afghanistan to address the security breakdown.&nbsp; Why the hostility?Tajikistan has steadfastly refused to recognize the Taliban government that took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, with Dushanbe repeatedly expressing concern over the presence of armed groups near its frontier. President Emomali Rahmon has been outspoken in his criticism, accusing the Taliban of mistreating ethnic Tajiks and providing sanctuary to groups that threaten Tajikistan&#39;s stability. The geographic and political realities make the frontier remote, difficult to patrol, and serve as a corridor for drug trafficking and militant movements. Tajikistan has urged Afghanistan to ensure tighter control of border areas to prevent cross-border movement of militants, while Afghan officials maintain that they are committed to preventing their territory from being used to threaten neighboring states. Who&rsquo;s behind the attacks?While Tajik officials describe the attackers as &quot;terrorists,&quot; no group has claimed responsibility for the recent violence. Analysts from the Oxus Society and BBC Monitoring point to several possible culprits, naming Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) as the primary suspect for the November drone strike. The ISKP has conducted attacks on foreign nationals in Afghanistan as part of its strategy to undermine the Taliban&#39;s credibility as a security provider. Additionally, Tajikistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accuses the Taliban of sheltering Jamaat Ansarullah, an Islamist militant group composed mainly of Tajik citizens that seeks to overthrow Tajikistan&#39;s secular government.&nbsp;

Afghan security personnel stand guard last July in Kabul. [Wakil Kohsar / AFP]

Central Asia

A deadly confrontation along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border this week has left at least five people dead, including two Tajik border guards, after armed militants crossed into Tajik territory and exchanged fire with security forces, Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (GKNB) said in an official statement on Friday.

Five killed in Afghanistan-Tajikistan border clash

ISLAMABAD: Two Tajik border security personnel were killed after &ldquo;members of a terrorist organization&rdquo; from Afghanistan attempted to illegally cross into Tajikistan, marking the third armed terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan, Tajik authorities said on Thursday.&nbsp;According to a press statement issued by the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the border and entered Tajik territory from Afghanistan, where they were resisted by Tajik security forces.&nbsp;&ldquo;On December 23, 2025, at 23:30, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the state border and entered the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan from Afghanistan within the protected area of Border Outpost No. 5 &lsquo;Bog&rsquo; of the 0341 &lsquo;Sarchashma&rsquo; Border Detachment, located in the Qavoq area of Shamsiddin Shohin District,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Officials said the group resisted security forces and attempted to target a border post.&nbsp;&ldquo;The terrorists refused to obey orders from Tajik border guards to surrender and offered armed resistance. They intended to carry out an armed attack on one of the border posts of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp;During the armed clash, two servicemen of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security were killed, according to the statement.&nbsp;Tajik officials said this was the third &ldquo;armed attack, terrorist act, and border crossing&rdquo; from Afghanistan in the past month, noting that previous incidents resulted in casualties among civilians and security personnel.&nbsp;&ldquo;These facts demonstrate that the Taliban government has shown serious and repeated irresponsibility and has failed to fulfill its international obligations and consistent promises to ensure security and stability along the state border with the Republic of Tajikistan and to combat terrorist organizations,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Tajikistan said it expects an apology from the Taliban leadership and &ldquo;effective measures to prevent further incidents.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement further reported the seizure of three M16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols equipped with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, explosives, and other ammunition at the scene.&nbsp;Last month, three Chinese workers in Tajikistan were killed in an attack launched from Afghanistan near the border. The Tajik foreign ministry said a drone and firearm attack targeted workers of a Chinese company in the country&rsquo;s south.

Two Tajik border guards were killed after alleged militants crossed from Afghanistan, resisted security forces, and attempted an attack on a border post, marking the third such incident this month

Two Tajik border guards killed in cross-border militant attack from Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN: Three Afghans died from exposure in freezing temperatures in the western province of Herat while trying to illegally enter Iran, a local army official said on Saturday.&nbsp;&quot;Three people who wanted to illegally cross the Iran-Afghanistan border have died because of the cold weather,&quot; the Afghan army official told AFP on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;He added that a shepherd was also found dead in the mountainous area of Kohsan from the cold.&nbsp;The migrants were part of a group that attempted to cross into Iran on Wednesday and was stopped by Afghan border forces.&nbsp;&quot;Searches took place on Wednesday night, but the bodies were only found on Thursday,&quot; the army official said.&nbsp;More than 1.8 million Afghans were forced to return to Afghanistan by the Iranian authorities between January and the end of November 2025, according to the latest figures from the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), which said that the majority were &quot;forced and coerced returns&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;These mass returns in adverse circumstances have strained Afghanistan&#39;s already overstretched resources and services&quot; which leads to &quot;risks of onward and new displacement, including return movements back into Pakistan and Iran and onward&quot;, UNHCR posted on its site dedicated to Afghanistan&#39;s situation.&nbsp;This week, Amnesty International called on countries to stop forcibly returning people to Afghanistan, citing a &quot;real risk of serious harm for returnees&quot;.&nbsp;Hit by two major earthquakes in recent months and highly vulnerable to climate change, Afghanistan faces multiple challenges.&nbsp;It is subject to international sanctions particularly due to the exclusion of women from many jobs and public places, described by the UN as &quot;gender apartheid&quot;.&nbsp;More than 17 million people in the country are facing acute food insecurity, the UN World Food Programme said Tuesday.

Asia

Three Afghans died from cold exposure while attempting to cross illegally into Iran from Herat, highlighting migrant risks as mass forced returns strain Afghanistan, already reeling from disasters, sanctions, and widespread food insecurity, nationwide crisis.

Three Afghan migrants die of cold while trying to cross into Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has not decided on participating in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in relation to the Gaza peace plan, according to the Foreign Office spokesperson.&nbsp; During a press briefing on Thursday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, addressed ongoing discussions about the country&#39;s potential involvement in the ISF and recent diplomatic developments.&nbsp;On the question about the status of Pakistan&#39;s participation in the ISF vis-&agrave;-vis the Gaza peace plan, the FO spokesperson responded: &ldquo;I mentioned previously as well. We have not yet decided to participate in ISF. We will inform you about any development that takes place in this regard.&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;Not to my knowledge&rsquo;&nbsp;In response to another question, the spokesperson said: &ldquo;The discussion on International Security Force is ongoing in certain capitals. I am not aware of any specific requests made to Pakistan on sending troops. As stated, we have not taken any decision on this subject, as yet.&rdquo; To another query regarding whether Pakistan has consulted any regional countries on ISF, like Iran and Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said: &ldquo;Not to my knowledge.&rdquo; Andrabi further said: &ldquo;Broadly under the subject of Gaza and Palestine, ISF may have come under discussion during our various interactions. But if you ask whether this was a specific agenda item for a meeting or a telephone call, I do not think so.&rdquo;&nbsp; On Bondi Beach attackOn the Bondi Beach attack, Andrabi said that the vilification of Pakistan was extremely regrettable.&nbsp; He said Pakistan strongly condemns this attack. &ldquo;Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of Australia,&rdquo; Andrabi said.&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations.&rdquo; About disinformation on the Bondi Beach attack, Andrabi said, &ldquo;Yes, the initial reports on the perpetrator&rsquo;s false identity were published by an Israeli newspaper.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;There were certain handlers on X and other social media from Afghanistan that were, indeed, involved.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;They do not have any credibility. It depicts that they want to stereotype Pakistan into a certain bracket through such false news.&rdquo;&nbsp; Indian media &lsquo;egg-faced&rsquo;&nbsp;About the blame game on Pakistan vis-&agrave;-vis the attack by the Indian media, he said this is not the first time that the Indian media has been egg-faced on being proved wrong.&nbsp; When asked about taking this matter to an international forum, he said that there are specific fora for reporting such developments.&nbsp; The ultimate price that the Indian media pays for such disinformation is the loss of its own credibility, which has been considerable in the past six months, particularly during Operation Bunyanul Marsoos, and now after this Bondi Beach terrorist incident.&nbsp; On Indus Waters TreatyThe Foreign Office spokesperson, on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), said: &ldquo;We have all options. Pakistan is fully committed to the various processes of dispute resolution under the IWT.&rdquo; &ldquo;On the interpretation and downstream working of the treaty, including Article 9, we have all options available that can be exercised,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; Field marshal&rsquo;s &#39;visit&#39; contradicted&nbsp;On the reported visit of the Chief of Army Staff/Chief of Defense Forces to the US, as reported by Reuters, Andrabi said: &ldquo;I can contradict the Reuters story in its essence that it seemed to suggest that the visit has been planned and there is a finality about it. So, I am contradicting that.&rdquo;&nbsp; UN report on Afghanistan&nbsp;Regarding the UN report on Afghanistan, Andrabi said, &ldquo;The Security Council report also elaborates on the configuration of various terrorist elements inside Afghanistan, particularly with reference to the TTP/Fitnah Al Khawarij.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;This reaffirms Pakistan&#39;s assertion on major impediments to developing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan with respect to the lasting ceasefire, the closure of border gates, and the closure of trade.&rdquo;&nbsp; &quot;The findings of the report are in sync with Pakistan&#39;s official position, and this is heard loud and clear across international capitals,&quot; he said. Ceasefire with Afghanistan&nbsp;Regarding the ceasefire with Afghanistan, Andrabi said: &ldquo;Pakistan, in good faith, had agreed to the ceasefire. This move by Pakistan has not been reciprocated with the same positivity from the Afghan Taliban regime.&rdquo;&nbsp; Aid to Afghanistan&nbsp;On the issue of aid to Afghanistan, Andrabi said: &ldquo;From our side, there is no hindrance in the dispatch of humanitarian aid. I recall that medicines were included in the first and second batches of the aid convoy that was allowed to pass. Various UN agencies were also involved in the dispatch of that aid.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;If there are any impediments to the flow of humanitarian assistance from the Afghan side, I am not aware of them. There was a statement from the Afghan Taliban regime that they are not willing to receive anything,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; &#39;Good neighborly relations&#39;On official contact with Afghanistan, Andrabi said: &ldquo;The diplomatic channels exist. I am not aware of any backchannel diplomacy. During the regional talks on Afghanistan hosted by Iran last week, the Afghan Taliban regime did not send a representative. Had they sent a representative to the meeting, some exchange might have taken place.&rdquo;&nbsp; He said: &ldquo;We stand by our foreign policy of good neighborly relations. Pakistan has not given up this objective.&rdquo;&nbsp; On Indian cabinet&rsquo;s decisionOn a question about the Indian Cabinet approving the opening up of nuclear insurance sectors for private investment, the spokesperson said: &ldquo;We monitor these developments very carefully, given India&#39;s troubling history of nuclear security lapses, including multiple incidents of radioactive material theft and unlawful sale of radioactive material reported since the 1990s.&rdquo;&nbsp; Andrabi added: &ldquo;The involvement of the private sector in handling sensitive nuclear material and knowledge could be a matter of concern; this may pose a challenge to the global efforts for countering access of private individuals to sensitive nuclear materials.&rdquo;&nbsp; Ban on airspace&nbsp;On a question about Pakistan extending its ban on the use of airspace by India till January 23, 2026, the spokesperson said: &ldquo;The status of Pakistan&rsquo;s airspace for India stays the same. It is reflective of the relations between the two countries, the threats that are brandished against Pakistan, including the statements being made by the senior Indian leadership about another wave of aggression against Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp; On SAARC&nbsp;On a question concerning the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the spokesperson said: &ldquo;I would reiterate the response I gave to a similar query on SAARC last week, i.e., the blockade of SAARC is regrettable, and we would want it to be revived.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;We welcome the statement from Dhaka on ways of alternate regional cooperation mechanisms.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Pakistan remains committed to multilateralism,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;

Foreign Office spokesperson says, ‘We have not taken a decision to participate in ISF as yet. We will inform you about any development that takes place in this regard.’

Pakistan yet to decide on joining international Gaza force: Foreign Office

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the interim Afghanistan government to take concrete action against all terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, stressing that lasting stability can only be achieved through region-led solutions.&nbsp;The call was made during the Meeting of Special Representatives for Afghanistan of the Neighbouring Countries, plus Russia, hosted by Iran in Tehran on Sunday, to review the evolving situation in Afghanistan and broader regional security dynamics.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, told the meeting that there was a shared assessment among participating countries that terrorism emanating from Afghan territory continues to pose a serious challenge to regional peace and stability.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2000187327453569118&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=d269215c020ab518952f2e1d79057a46f8a614c0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div>He said the Afghan people had suffered immensely and deserved peace and economic recovery, stressing that the current authorities in Kabul needed to eliminate, without discrimination, all types of terrorist groups, Sadiq said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Ambassador Sadiq noted that only a terror-free Afghanistan would inspire confidence among neighboring and regional states to engage meaningfully with the country, helping unlock its economic potential and strengthen regional connectivity. At the outset of the session, Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that imported solutions and external decision-making had failed to bring peace to Afghanistan, underscoring that neighbouring countries must play a central role in ensuring sustainable security, development, and regional integration, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). He said Afghanistan&rsquo;s stability was vital not only for its own future but for the entire region, noting that the country&rsquo;s geo-economic position connects Central, West, and South Asia. Araghchi added that decades of foreign military intervention, including the NATO presence, did not deliver lasting peace due to excessive reliance on security-centric approaches and disregard for Afghanistan&rsquo;s social and cultural realities. &ldquo;The lesson is clear: external prescriptions cannot resolve regional crises,&rdquo; he said, calling for coordinated, neighbor-driven cooperation based on shared interests, collective security, and long-term development. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the gathering reflected ongoing consultations among neighboring countries to promote peace, reduce tensions, and enhance regional cohesion, adding that Iran places high importance on stability across its neighborhood.</div>

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq terrorism emanating from Afghan territory continues to pose a serious challenge to regional peace and stability.

Regional forum urges Afghanistan to act against terrorist groups

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Nearly one thousand Afghan clerics and tribal elders have declared that Afghan soil must not be used against any country, urging the Taliban government to strictly enforce the ban on individuals or groups engaging in cross-border terrorism or traveling abroad for militant activities.&nbsp; The gathering, held in Kabul, reaffirmed the directive of the Taliban&rsquo;s supreme leader that Afghanistan will not allow any force to exploit its territory to destabilise neighboring states. The announcement is being widely viewed as a positive signal and a development that aligns closely with Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing position.&nbsp; It reinforces Islamabad&rsquo;s diplomatic engagements with Kabul and validates Pakistan&rsquo;s consistent demand that Afghan territory should not serve as a base for cross-border terrorism. Analysts note that such declarations echo Pakistan&rsquo;s broader regional peace narrative, which stresses mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference. However, past experience tempers optimism. The Taliban authorities have made similar commitments to Pakistan and other regional and international stakeholders in the past, but their implementation record has remained largely discouraging. The real test this time will lie in the sincerity and verifiable enforcement of these pledges on the ground. If the Taliban regime translates these declarations into concrete, observable measures, it could mark a significant step toward Afghanistan&rsquo;s internal stability, Pakistan&rsquo;s security, and the overall peace of the region.&nbsp; Credible information available to Pakistan TV indicates that Islamabad will closely monitor the situation, as the implementation alone will determine the credibility of the announcement and its contribution to regional stability.

SAT News Desk

Kabul gathering of nearly 1,000 clerics backs previous decree against cross-border militancy; analysts say only implementation will test Taliban’s credibility 


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