Pakistan Accuses Taliban of Politicizing Afghan People’s Suffering
During ongoing four-day talks in Istanbul between Pakistani and Taliban representatives, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar sharply criticized the Taliban, accusing the group of bearing no responsibility toward the people of Afghanistan and of seeking to push the country into an unnecessary war rather than pursuing stability.
In a statement posted on X, Tarar said the Taliban operate based on a “war economy” and exploit the growing suffering of the Afghan people for political and military purposes. He stressed that Pakistan participated in these negotiations in good faith, but the Taliban have provided no guarantees to prevent Afghan soil from being used by terrorist groups against Pakistan.
Tarar further alleged that, during the discussions, the Taliban delegation verbally agreed multiple times to Islamabad’s legitimate demand for effective action against terrorist groups. However, they failed to offer any practical guarantees. According to Tarar, clear evidence of terrorist activity in Afghanistan was presented to both the Taliban and the meeting’s hosts, but the Taliban responded only with denial and evasion of responsibility.
The minister added that the Taliban repeatedly diverted from the main subject during the talks, resorting to manipulating public opinion and blaming others instead of providing accountability. He emphasized that such an approach has hindered any progress toward practical solutions.
Tarar underlined that Pakistan will continue to take necessary measures to protect its citizens and will target any safe havens, supporters, or collaborators of terrorist groups. He also noted that the Taliban have failed to honor their written commitments under the Doha Agreement.
On the other hand, a Taliban official—speaking anonymously to local media—said Pakistan might walk away from the negotiation table. He claimed that internal divisions within the Pakistani military structure have stalled progress and criticized the Pakistani delegation for lacking “logic and the necessary authority.”
The Taliban official also asserted that the issue of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is an internal Pakistani matter, not Afghanistan’s, and that Islamabad must address it within its own borders. He emphasized that the Taliban are not responsible for attacks inside Pakistan and lack control over the TTP’s operations.
