Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said Pakistan was writing off the Afghan Taliban and had no further positive expectations from the group, amid consistently tense relations that show no sign of abating.
Earlier on Tuesday, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid alleged that Pakistan had conducted overnight strikes inside Afghanistan. In a post on X, he accused Pakistan of “bombing” Khost and carrying out additional air attacks in Kunar and Paktika. Pakistan’s military, however, dismissed the claims entirely.
Appearing on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said there was no truth to the Taliban’s accusations.
He stressed that Pakistan’s forces do respond when necessary, but never target civilians.
According to him, the Pakistani military follows strict professional standards — unlike the Afghan Taliban, whom he described as lacking discipline, traditions, or a recognised code of conduct.
Asif added that Pakistan had now reached a point where it had “completely written off” the Afghan Taliban, saying Islamabad no longer holds any optimistic expectations from the group.
‘Which Shariah Are They Referring To?’
Reacting to the Taliban’s threat of retaliation based on “Islamic law”, Asif questioned what version of Shariah the Taliban follow — a version, he said, that allows them to live in another country for decades and then shed blood.
He emphasised that this interpretation has no link with the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
The minister said Pakistan’s regional partners, including Türkiye, Iran and Qatar, were calling for stability in the region, arguing that peace would benefit all sides, especially Afghans.
On the Taliban’s push for closer trade ties with India, Asif said Pakistan did not object:
“They are free to engage with India as they wish. Ultimately, those goods end up in our market anyway.”
He dismissed the Taliban’s warnings as mere statements, saying it would be “foolish” to trust them after repeated disappointments.
‘No Change in Their Behaviour’
Asif said Pakistan initially made sincere efforts to maintain cordial relations after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul. He personally visited Afghanistan multiple times. But, he added, there has been no improvement in their conduct.
He warned that the Taliban’s policies were pushing Afghanistan toward deeper isolation and that continued instability could soon force regional countries to intervene to prevent a complete collapse.
Strained Pak-Afghan Relations
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have intensified in recent months, largely due to the presence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Afghan soil. Pakistan has urged the Taliban to prevent cross-border terrorism, but Kabul denies harbouring militants.
Several rounds of talks — backed by Türkiye and Qatar — were held to establish mechanisms for peace after border clashes in October.
However, the discussions failed to produce any breakthrough.
After the third round of talks on November 7, Asif announced that negotiations had reached an “indefinite pause” because both sides could not reconcile major differences.
Following the breakdown in dialogue, the Afghan Taliban suspended trade with Pakistan, while Islamabad had already halted border commerce after the October clashes.
Turkey later announced plans to send a high-level delegation to Pakistan to help defuse tensions. Islamabad welcomed these efforts, but the visit has yet to take place amid procedural complications.
Last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Office made it clear that any resumption of trade depends on the Taliban taking action against cross-border terrorism. It also linked Afghanistan’s cooperation to the future of key regional energy and transit projects.
