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ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said the November 11 suicide attack near the Islamabad district courts was planned and directed from Afghanistan, adding that security agencies arrested the key suspects within 48 hours.&nbsp;Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the attacker failed to reach his intended high-security target. &ldquo;The suicide bomber could not enter the main area and detonated on the outskirts of the city,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Tarar said the Intelligence Bureau and the Counter Terrorism Department acted immediately after the blast and arrested four suspects, Sajidullah alias Sheena, Kamran Khan, Muhammad Zali and Shah Munir.&nbsp;According to the minister, Sajidullah alias Sheena is the central handler who brought the bomber and the explosive vest. He previously joined the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan and received training at camps inside Afghanistan.&nbsp;Tarar said the plot was overseen by TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud through his commander Dadullah, who remains based in Afghanistan. Sajidullah travelled to Afghanistan as recently as August 2025 and stayed in contact with Dadullah through a secure application.&nbsp;After returning to Pakistan, Sajidullah met the suicide bomber, identified as Usman Shinwari, a resident of Nangarhar, and provided him with the explosive vest. &ldquo;Their target was Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but the terrorists failed to reach their objective,&rdquo; the minister said.&nbsp;He added that all arrested suspects played a role in facilitating the attack, and the network&rsquo;s links lead back across the border. A recorded confessional statement of Sajidullah was also shown during the briefing.&nbsp;Tarar praised the swift action of the Intelligence Bureau, CTD, and security forces, calling the arrests a &ldquo;major success&rdquo; that prevented a much larger tragedy. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has commended the agencies and reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to protecting citizens.&nbsp;&ldquo;The armed forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, remain fully mobilized,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that the breakthrough will significantly support ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

Security

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says the plot was overseen by TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud through his commander Dadullah, who remains based in Afghanistan.

Islamabad courts attacker was Afghan, plan hatched in Afghanistan, says Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan security forces killed 23 terrorists in two targeted operations near the border with Afghanistan, the army said Thursday, a week after a suicide bombing killed 12 people in Islamabad, reported the AFP. The terrorists belonged to the Pakistani Taliban or its affiliated groups, the military said in a statement, accusing India of backing them. The operations took place in the Kurram district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a flashpoint for cross-border terrorism that has worsened since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Military&rsquo;s statement&nbsp;A statement released by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday said, &ldquo;On 19 November 2025, twenty three khwarij (terrorists) belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khawarij were killed in two separate engagements in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.&rdquo; On the reported presence of terrorists, a targeted operation was conducted by the security forces, it said.&nbsp; During the conduct of the operation, troops engaged the terrorist location and after an intense fire exchange, 12 terrorists were killed, the statement added. Pakistan uses the term &quot;Fitna Al Khawarij&quot; to refer to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella network of armed terrorist groups. &lsquo;Foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism&rsquo;According to the ISPR statement: &ldquo;Capitalizing on intelligence with respect to presence of another group of terrorists, in same general area, in another intelligence-based operation, own troops successfully neutralized 11 more terrorists.&rdquo; The statement further added, &ldquo;Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorists found in the area as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam&rdquo; (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.&rdquo; &lsquo;Kabul harboring terrorist groups&rsquo;Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring terrorist groups, particularly the TTP, that stage deadly attacks in Pakistan, AFP reported. A suicide bombing outside a court in Islamabad killed 12 people and wounded dozens last week, which Pakistan said was planned from Afghanistan. A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply deteriorated, with cross-border clashes last month prompting the worst fighting in years; the border remains closed. The South Asian neighbors agreed to a fragile ceasefire but failed to finalize its terms after several rounds of talks, each blaming the other for the impasse, according to AFP. PM lauds security forces Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister&#39;s Office (Media Wing) on Thursday: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces&rsquo; officers and personnel in Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for successful operations against the terrorists. The prime minister praised the professional capabilities of the security forces&rsquo; officers and personnel for killing the 23 terrorists. &ldquo;We will continue the fight against terrorism until the complete eradication of this menace from the country,&rdquo; said Sharif. &ldquo;The entire nation, including myself, stands shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Armed Forces in the unwavering resolve to protect our beloved homeland,&rdquo; said the prime minister.

The army's media wing says, ‘Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area’; ‘Counter Terrorism campaign by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue.’

Pakistan army kills 23 terrorists in border region: spox

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has arrested four members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cell behind the Nov. 11 suicide bombing outside Islamabad&rsquo;s G-11 District Judicial Complex, including the group&rsquo;s commander, according to an official government statement released Friday. The suspects were detained in a joint Intelligence Bureau and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) operation that dismantled what authorities described as a Fitna al-Khawarij network, Pakistan&rsquo;s term for the TTP, invoking a historical radical sect known for rebellion and violent extremism. According to the statement, Sajidullah, alias Sheena, identified as the handler of the bomber, &ldquo;confessed&rdquo; during interrogation that TTP/FAK Commander Saeed-ur-Rehman, alias Daadullah, had tasked him with carrying out an attack in Islamabad &ldquo;to cause maximum casualties of law enforcement agencies.&rdquo; The government said, &ldquo;TTP/FAK Commander Saeed-ur-Rehman, alias Daadullah, a resident of Charmang, Bajaur, and currently in Afghanistan, contacted Sajidullah, alias Sheena, through the Telegram application to carry out a suicide attack in Islamabad.&rdquo; It added, &ldquo;Daadullah sent pictures of the suicide bomber Usman, alias Qari, to Sajidullah for receiving him upon his arrival.&rdquo; The statement continued: &ldquo;Suicide bomber Usman, alias Qari, belonged to the Shinwari tribe and was a resident of Achin, Nangarhar, Afghanistan.&rdquo; It said, &ldquo;When he reached Pakistan from Afghanistan, Sajidullah, alias Sheena, arranged his stay in a residence near Islamabad.&rdquo; Following Daadullah&rsquo;s instructions, &ldquo;Sajidullah, alias Sheena, collected a suicide jacket from Akhun Baba graveyard in Peshawar and brought it to Islamabad.&rdquo; On the day of the attack, the statement added, &ldquo;Sajidullah Sheena set the suicide jacket on SB Usman, alias Qari.&rdquo; The network was &ldquo;handled and guided at every step&rdquo; by the Afghanistan-based TTP leadership, the statement said, confirming that &ldquo;the entire cell involved in the incident, including its commander and three other members, has been arrested.&rdquo; Authorities said investigations are continuing and that &ldquo;more revelations and arrests are expected.&rdquo; At least 12 people were martyred and dozens injured when the attacker detonated explosives outside the District Judicial Complex after being prevented from entering the premises. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier said the bomber blew himself up near a police vehicle at approximately 12:39 p.m.

In a joint operation conducted by Pakistan’s intelligence and CTD, authorities arrest four TTP-linked militants accused of orchestrating the Islamabad judicial complex bombing.

Pakistan arrests four Afghanistan-based TTP terrorists over Islamabad bombing

Muhammad Imad Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s top intelligence official, Lieutenant General Asim Malik, has arrived in Istanbul to resume negotiations with the Afghan Taliban leadership, security sources told Pakistan TV Digital on Wednesday.&nbsp;Malik, the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is expected to meet Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq as both sides enter the next phase of talks on the ongoing ceasefire and cross-border security arrangements.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif earlier confirmed the delegation&rsquo;s travel plans and reiterated that Islamabad expects decisive action against militant groups operating from Afghan territory, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).&nbsp;The ceasefire was initially agreed in Doha on October 18&ndash;19 and reaffirmed during last week&rsquo;s discussions in Istanbul. A principal-level meeting is scheduled for November 6 to finalize implementation details, including the establishment of a joint monitoring and verification mechanism.&nbsp;Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that both sides will continue talks to address remaining issues, stressing Kabul&rsquo;s desire for stable, respectful, and non-interfering bilateral relations.&nbsp;Officials describe the progress as a significant move toward regional stability, while underscoring that the ceasefire remains conditional on Afghan territory not being used for attacks in Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;This outcome reflects patience, diplomacy, and firm commitment to national interest,&rdquo; one official said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations meet again today in Istanbul to finalize ceasefire implementation and anti-terror measures.

Pakistan intelligence chief in Türkiye for crucial Afghan talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that Islamabad had presented &lsquo;concrete evidence&rsquo; of attacks from Afghan soil to Kabul in recent talks. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; He was responding to concerns expressed by opposition lawmakers in the Senate of Pakistan. FM Dar said that recent dialogues with the interim Afghan government, held in T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, focused on engaging Afghan authorities to curb cross-border terrorism. He said that groups such as Fitna al-Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) and the Balochistan Liberation Army were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. Combating terrorism&nbsp;The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to combating terrorism, urging the interim Afghan government to ensure its territory is not used for hostile activities against Pakistan. Speaking in the Senate, he said that incidents of terrorism have increased even more than in 2012. Agreements made with Afghan Taliban previously, too&ldquo;[Yesterday] Mr Muttaqi called us six times. I told him we want only one thing from you: that your soil should not be used against Pakistan,&rdquo; said the foreign minister. &ldquo;[I told him that] the government has taken a decision, and we will fight [terrorism] to the last breath.&rdquo; Dar said that till 2018, because of Pakistan&#39;s security forces&#39; operations, terrorist attacks in the country had gone down considerably. He said that after the Afghan Taliban came to power, for four years, there were no formal engagements between the two countries. &ldquo;I went to Afghanistan, talked with them, and made agreements.&rdquo; The foreign minister said he asked only one thing of them: that Afghanistan&rsquo;s territory not be used against Pakistan. Dar said that an effort was made to start a train service from Afghanistan to other countries. Unfortunately, with the current government in Afghanistan, violent incidents have increased daily, affecting plans for such a project. Releasing terrorists from prison a mistakeThe foreign minister said that 40,000 TTP members came to Pakistan from Afghanistan, and that the government at that time released more than 100 hardcore terrorists from prisons. Such mistakes, he said, should never have been made. He said that a few years ago, there were 38,000 religious seminaries, and now there are 150,000. He expressed hope that talks between the two sides in Istanbul on Nov. 6 will advance. Trump&rsquo;s active role during Pak-India conflictDar said that US President Donald Trump played an active role during the Pak-India conflict from May 6 to 10, and that the UAE, the UK, and Qatar maintained extensive contact during that period. India had launched 80 drones against Pakistan; the army neutralized 79 of them, while one caused minor damage to military installations, he said. The foreign minister said that India&rsquo;s attempt to construct a false narrative was exposed. The operation against India began at 4 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. At 8:17 a.m., he said, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called to say that India was ready for a ceasefire. Dar said that the letter recommending President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize was written on June 11. &quot;The role played by the United States was acknowledged through that letter, which was sent under my signature,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The letter will be considered next year, as nominations for the Nobel Prize are accepted till January, he added.

Speaking in the Senate, he said that terrorist groups were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. 

Kabul was presented 'concrete evidence' of Afghan-based attacks: Pakistan foreign minister

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hoping for a &ldquo;positive outcome&rdquo; in the next round of talks with the Afghan Taliban set for November 6, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Friday, while calling on Kabul to honor its security commitments and prevent cross-border terrorism.&nbsp;Briefing reporters in Islamabad, Andrabi confirmed the conclusion of four-day discussions in Istanbul between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, talks that were initially planned to last two days. He said Pakistan extended the negotiations &ldquo;in an effort to reach an amicable agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to a Pakistan TV Digital question on the difference in tone between his remarks and those of Pakistan&rsquo;s defense minister, Andrabi said, &ldquo;It is our professional hazard to be optimistic.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I would call it guarded optimism,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We have been engaged with the Taliban for four years.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to be optimistic, but one must remain hopeful.&rdquo;&nbsp;A joint statement issued by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar on Thursday noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire mechanism along with a monitoring and verification framework intended to maintain peace and impose penalties for violations.&nbsp;Andrabi stressed that Pakistan had engaged &ldquo;positively&rdquo; without compromising its stance that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.&nbsp;He said Islamabad &ldquo;expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honor its commitments to the international community&rdquo; and take &ldquo;concrete and verifiable actions&rdquo; against terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by Pakistani officials as &ldquo;Fitna al-Khwarij,&rdquo; and militants linked to India, described as &ldquo;Fitna Al-Hindustan.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan had repeatedly provided Kabul with credible intelligence on the presence of these groups inside Afghanistan, yet cross-border attacks had increased in recent months.&nbsp;The spokesperson referred to &ldquo;unprovoked aggression&rdquo; along the border in October, warning that Pakistan would respond &ldquo;resolutely&rdquo; if such provocations continued.&nbsp;Despite tensions, Andrabi said Pakistan remains committed to a stable relationship with its western neighbor, adding that Islamabad has supported Afghanistan through transit trade concessions, elevated diplomatic ties to ambassador level, and agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.&nbsp;Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, he noted, has visited Kabul three times this year, including to sign the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Government and armed forces of Pakistan stand ready to take all possible measures to protect Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and ensure the safety and security of its people,&rdquo; Andrabi said, adding that Pakistan would continue to engage in mediation efforts.&nbsp;He thanked Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye for their &ldquo;constructive role.&rdquo;&nbsp;On GazaThe spokesperson said consultations on an international stabilization force for Gaza are ongoing among regional partners. Pakistan, he said, will continue working with Arab and Islamic countries to secure &ldquo;lasting peace&rdquo; and the Palestinians&rsquo; &ldquo;right to self-determination,&rdquo; while condemning renewed Israeli strikes as a &ldquo;flagrant&rdquo; violation of international law.&nbsp;On US sanctions waiver for India&nbsp;Regarding the US decision to allow India to operate Iran&rsquo;s Chabahar Port under a six-month sanctions waiver, Andrabi said Pakistan has &ldquo;taken note&rdquo; and &ldquo;welcomes any decision that leads to economic development in our brotherly country Iran,&rdquo; but cautioned that India must not &ldquo;abuse this opening to promote terrorism or subversion through adjacent borders.&rdquo;&nbsp;On US&ndash;India defense frameworkAndrabi described the recent US&ndash;India defense understanding as still under review, saying Islamabad is &ldquo;evaluating [it], particularly with reference to its impact on peace, security, and stability in South Asia,&rdquo; and would comment further at a later stage.&nbsp;Pakistan&ndash;EU migration dialogueThe spokesperson also discussed the third Pakistan&ndash;EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue held in Islamabad this week, in which both sides reviewed progress under the EU Readmission Agreement and Talent Partnership roadmap.&nbsp;He said both sides appreciated the &ldquo;growing level of cooperation&rdquo; and agreed to hold the next round in Brussels.

During a Foreign Office press briefing in Islamabad, Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi says Pakistan expects meaningful progress in upcoming talks with the Afghan Taliban, urging Kabul to fulfill counterterrorism commitments and prevent cross-border attacks.

Pakistan expresses ‘guarded optimism’ ahead of Nov. 6 Taliban talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will &ldquo;push deep into their territory in retaliation&rdquo; if evidence shows attacks are being staged from Afghan soil, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistan TV Digital late Wednesday, a day after talks in Istanbul with Afghan delegates ended without an agreement. &ldquo;We will hunt them down. Very simple. If we have to cross the border, we will do that,&rdquo; Asif said, warning that Islamabad was prepared to follow up incursions with both air strikes and ground operations. &ldquo;Whether we have to carry out air strikes or use ground forces, as before, we&rsquo;ve done air strikes, and we&rsquo;ll do them again.&rdquo; &lsquo;Always be a response&rsquo;&nbsp;Asif stressed that any Pakistani action would be conditional. &ldquo;If in the coming days they don&rsquo;t send new formations and cross-border terrorism doesn&rsquo;t occur, then we will not do anything,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It will always be a response, not an initiative; it will be a reaction to something committed by the Afghans.&rdquo; His remarks come amid a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan that prompted the two warring sides to meet in Doha on October 19, leading to a 48-hour ceasefire after days of heavy cross-border clashes. Talks ongoingDelegations from Islamabad and Kabul later also met in Istanbul from October 25 to 29, where Pakistan sought a &ldquo;concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism&rdquo; to prevent Afghan soil from being used to stage attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians. Officials said the Istanbul round, mediated by Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye, failed to produce a binding enforcement arrangement after Afghan representatives declined to accept that it would take verifiable measures against groups Islamabad blames for the violence. Negotiators exchanged near-final drafts, but according to Pakistani sources, the Afghan side repeatedly deferred to Kabul and would not sign off on mechanisms Pakistan described as necessary to guarantee the ceasefire. According to well-placed sources, Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s request. Sources said that the decision to resume the dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance. Talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.&nbsp;Banned groups responsible for attacksIslamabad points to factions linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other local networks as responsible for recent assaults on security posts and convoys.&nbsp; Pakistan security officials say precision strikes and targeted operations have degraded some militant leadership, but they argue that cross-border sanctuaries remain the core problem. Asif framed Pakistan&rsquo;s posture as one of last resort: Willing to keep pressing for diplomacy and to exercise restraint, but ready to use force again if attacks from across the frontier resume.

Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at Türkiye's request; decision to resume dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance; talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.

Pakistan will retaliate if Afghan-based militants continue attacks: defense minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces have killed more than 100 terrorists in a series of retaliatory actions along the Pak-Afghan border over the past 48 hours, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday.&nbsp;In a statement released on social media, Tarar said the operations targeted verified camps of the Gul Bahadur Group, referred to as &ldquo;Kharjis,&rdquo; located in the border areas of North and South Waziristan.<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" 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=1979480479738028164&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=a3f53bc647d1e4e740203278c506b98829f51cc6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1979480479738028164"></iframe></div></div>The strikes came after terrorists based in Afghanistan attempted to launch multiple cross-border attacks during a temporary ceasefire. &ldquo;These attacks were effectively countered by our security forces,&rdquo; Tarar said. &ldquo;More than 100 Kharjis were sent to hell.&rdquo;&nbsp;He also confirmed that the Gul Bahadur group was behind a recent vehicle-borne IED attack in North Waziristan that resulted in the martyrdom of a soldier and the deaths and injuries of several civilians.&nbsp;The minister noted that in a follow-up operation, Pakistani security forces carried out precision strikes last night, targeting terrorist hideouts along the Pak-Afghan border, killing an estimated 60 to 70 terrorists, including key members of the group&rsquo;s leadership.&nbsp;The minister rejected claims circulating online that civilians had been targeted in the strikes, calling such allegations &ldquo;false&rdquo; and an attempt to generate support for terrorist groups operating from within Afghanistan.&nbsp;Tarar reiterated that Pakistan prefers a diplomatic resolution to cross-border terrorism, but reserves the right to act in self-defense.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan sincerely believes that the path forward lies in resolving this complex issue of Indian-sponsored terrorism emanating from Afghan soil through talks and control of non-state actors by Afghan authorities. But we will not allow terrorists to operate from Afghan soil with impunity,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;The comments come amid heightened tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over the presence of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan and a recent surge in terrorist activity targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Tarar says the operations targeted verified camps of the Gul Bahadur Group, referred to as “Kharjis,” located in the border areas of North and South Waziristan.

Pakistan security forces kill over 100 terrorists in 48 hours: Attaullah Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has criticized the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, accusing it of acting as a proxy for India and allowing cross-border terror attacks in Pakistan. &ldquo;This war of terrorism has been imposed on Pakistan by India, Afghanistan and the TTP working together. The rulers in Kabul, who used to be under our protection and who once hid on our soil, are now sitting in India&rsquo;s lap and conspiring against Pakistan,&rdquo; Asif wrote on X, formerly Twitter. <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" 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=1979192853122420827&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=a3f53bc647d1e4e740203278c506b98829f51cc6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 441px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The minister outlined Pakistan&rsquo;s extensive efforts over the past four years to engage Kabul diplomatically and militarily, which, according to him, have been met with betrayal.&nbsp;These included four visits to Kabul by Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister, two joint visits by the defense minister and ISI leadership, and five trips each by the Special Envoy on Afghanistan and senior Foreign Office secretaries. Pakistan&rsquo;s National Security Adviser also visited Kabul once, and eight meetings of the Joint Coordination Committee were held.&nbsp;&ldquo;Along the border, 225 flag meetings took place, while Pakistan issued 836 formal protest notes and delivered 13 demarches to the Afghan authorities,&rdquo; he added. Despite these persistent efforts, Asif said, the situation has only worsened.&nbsp;From 2021 to date, Pakistan has suffered 10,347 acts of terrorism, resulting in the martyrdom of 3,844 individuals, including civilians, soldiers, and law enforcement personnel, he noted.&nbsp;Asif said Pakistan&rsquo;s sacrifices were met not with cooperation but with hostility from the very regime that once found refuge on Pakistani soil.&nbsp;He declared that Pakistan can no longer afford to maintain relations with Kabul as it has in the past. Asif emphasized that the country&rsquo;s patience has run out, and there will be no more appeals for peace or high-level visits to Afghanistan. Instead, Pakistan will respond decisively to any acts of terrorism or cross-border infiltration.&nbsp;&ldquo;Wherever the source of terrorism lies, it will now come at a heavy cost,&rdquo; he warned.&nbsp;Khawaja Asif also stated that all Afghans residing in Pakistan will need to return to their homeland. He pointed out that it has now been five years since what the Taliban calls its &ldquo;Islamic revolution,&rdquo; and that Afghanistan must now take responsibility for its citizens.&nbsp;&ldquo;The land and resources of Pakistan belong to its 250 million people,&rdquo; he said, adding that the time for forced hospitality has come to an end.&nbsp;The minister stressed that Pakistan desires peace with its neighbors, but it will not tolerate hostility or foreign-backed terrorism.&nbsp;&ldquo;Self-respecting nations do not live off the land and resources of others,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If Afghanistan wants to be a neighbor, it must act like one.&rdquo;

Outlines Pakistan’s extensive efforts over the past four years to engage Kabul diplomatically and militarily, efforts that, according to him, have been met with betrayal.

Taliban now acting as India’s proxy, says Khawaja Asif​

Syed Ahmed Raza

ISLAMABAD: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated following a recent surge in cross-border terrorist attacks from Afghanistan.&nbsp;Islamabad accuses the Taliban-led government in Kabul of sheltering banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists and allowing them to operate freely in Afghanistan &mdash; a charge Afghan authorities deny.&nbsp;During a recent official visit to India, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi reiterated Kabul&#39;s denial of TTP presence in the country. His statement came just days after TTP terrorists ambushed a Pakistani military convoy in the northwestern Orakzai District, killing 11 soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel and a major.&nbsp;Soon after, the TTP launched coordinated cross-border assaults on Pakistani military posts, exposing what security analysts describe as a growing nexus between the Afghan Taliban and the TTP.&nbsp;In response, Pakistani forces carried out precision strikes targeting TTP and Daesh hideouts inside Afghanistan, reportedly eliminating more than 200 terrorists.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s consistent goodwill toward KabulPakistan has long supported the Taliban-led government in Kabul. Islamabad was one of the few countries to keep its embassy open after the Taliban&rsquo;s takeover in August 2021 and has consistently advocated for unfreezing Afghanistan&rsquo;s $9 billion in foreign assets.&nbsp;Through regional forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Pakistan repeatedly urged the international community to extend humanitarian and economic support to Afghanistan.&nbsp;Islamabad&rsquo;s approach has long been guided by the belief that a stable and friendly government in Kabul is essential for regional peace and the security of Pakistan&rsquo;s western borders.&nbsp;In this spirit, Pakistan even extended an invitation to Afghanistan to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), envisioning trilateral cooperation with China to bring investment, energy connectivity, and infrastructure development to the war-torn country.&nbsp;Goodwill met with denial and hostilityHowever, officials and observers say this goodwill has largely been met with mistrust and denial from the Afghan side.&nbsp;&ldquo;All Pakistan expected in return was for the Afghan Taliban to take concrete action against TTP terrorists using Afghan territory to attack Pakistan,&rdquo; said retired Air Commodore Khalid Chishti. &ldquo;But instead of cooperation, we are witnessing denial, deflection, and, increasingly, alignment with India.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chishti said the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s outright denial of TTP&#39;s presence &ldquo;amounts to making fun of themselves.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The whole world knows the TTP is operating from Afghanistan,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Either the Taliban are part of it or they are helpless. When they claim control over all of Afghanistan yet deny cross-border attacks, it shows either a lack of capacity or will.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi &ldquo;spent much of his youth in Pakistan and served as the Taliban&rsquo;s information minister during their first regime from 1996 to 2001,&rdquo; describing him as &ldquo;someone for whom Pakistan was like a second home.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;This is the same individual once listed as a terrorist&mdash;whom India accused of hijacking its plane&mdash;but now welcomed in New Delhi simply because he shares an anti-Pakistan stance,&rdquo; Chishti noted.&nbsp;India&rsquo;s expanding footprint in AfghanistanThe retired air commodore said India has long used Afghanistan as a strategic pressure point against Pakistan, pouring billions into infrastructure, education, and development projects to gain political leverage.&nbsp;&ldquo;India cannot compete with Pakistan on the eastern border,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So, it funds proxies across the western border&mdash;buying loyalty, outsourcing terrorism, and using the TTP as a rented force.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chishti also cited a 2016 statement attributed to India&rsquo;s current National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, in which he reportedly said India would use the Taliban &ldquo;the way we want,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;They are mercenaries. India is a much bigger economy. We will inject more funds, and they will be on our side.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said the statement reflects India&rsquo;s long-standing intent to exploit instability in Afghanistan to its advantage.&nbsp;During the US presence in Afghanistan, Chishti noted, &ldquo;around 2,700 contractors were told to pay protection money to the Taliban&mdash;nearly $47 million per week&mdash;which shows how the group learned to monetize conflict and power.&rdquo;&nbsp;Terrorism data paints grim pictureAccording to data from the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), terrorist attacks in Pakistan surged from 89 in 2021 to 262 in 2022, 306 in 2023, and 521 in 2024. In the first 10 months of 2025 alone, 585 attacks have been recorded&mdash;the highest escalation in recent years.&nbsp;The situation worsened during Pakistan&rsquo;s brief conflict with India in May 2025, when a 40-member TTP group&mdash;including the son of a Taliban official&mdash;reportedly attempted to open a western front against Pakistan. Analysts say this highlights a dangerous convergence between anti-Pakistan groups operating from Afghan territory and external actors seeking to destabilize the region.&nbsp;The latest escalation came after the October 8 attacks in Orakzai and Dera Ismail Khan, which killed 18 security personnel. Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory strikes were followed by a terrorist assault on the DI Khan Police Training School by a group linked to the Taliban, killing seven policemen and injuring several others.&nbsp;According to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Pakistan witnessed a 46% rise in violence in the third quarter of 2025, with at least 901 fatalities and 599 injuries in 329 incidents of terrorism and counterterror operations.&nbsp;A looming questionChishti said the growing threat underscores the need for a &ldquo;clearer regional strategy.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;We must protect our borders and people,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But continued tolerance for terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan endangers not just Pakistan&rsquo;s security&mdash;it threatens regional peace and stability as a whole.&rdquo;&nbsp;As Pakistan re-evaluates its policy toward Kabul, one question looms large: Are the Afghan Taliban truly living up to India&rsquo;s expectations&mdash;or merely playing into a dangerous regional game that could consume them next?

Pakistan’s goodwill toward the Afghan Taliban government is straining as TTP attacks surge, fueling suspicions of Indian influence.

Articles tagged with "TTP"

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Taliban now acting as India’s proxy, says Khawaja Asif

TTP resurgence strains Pakistan-Afghanistan ties, fuels suspicions of Indian hand

Articles tagged with "TTP"

Islamabad courts attacker was Afghan, plan hatched in Afghanistan, says Pakistan

Pakistan army kills 23 terrorists in border region: spox

Pakistan arrests four Afghanistan-based TTP terrorists over Islamabad bombing

Pakistan intelligence chief in Türkiye for crucial Afghan talks

Kabul was presented 'concrete evidence' of Afghan-based attacks: Pakistan foreign minister

Pakistan expresses ‘guarded optimism’ ahead of Nov. 6 Taliban talks

Pakistan will retaliate if Afghan-based militants continue attacks: defense minister

Pakistan security forces kill over 100 terrorists in 48 hours: Attaullah Tarar

Taliban now acting as India’s proxy, says Khawaja Asif​

TTP resurgence strains Pakistan-Afghanistan ties, fuels suspicions of Indian hand

Taliban now acting as India’s proxy, says Khawaja Asif