Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Regrets Supporting Taliban, Calls It Costly Mistake
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, has expressed rare public regret over Islamabad’s role in supporting and rapidly aligning with the Taliban administration following the collapse of Afghanistan’s former government. Speaking in the country’s parliament, Dar acknowledged that the move had proven to be a costly error for Pakistan.
Referring to the visit of Faiz Hameed, the former head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to Kabul in the early days of the Taliban takeover in August 2021, Dar said that Hameed’s gesture of having “a cup of tea” at Kabul’s Serena Hotel had come to symbolize Islamabad’s hasty and misguided move — the consequences of which Pakistan continues to suffer.
He implicitly criticized the lack of caution shown by previous Pakistani officials in dealing with the Taliban, stating: “We don’t want to blame anyone, but our over-eagerness toward the Taliban was a big mistake.”
Dar also noted that following the Taliban’s return to power, a large number of “dangerous” individuals were released from Afghan prisons. According to him, many of these individuals had been previously involved with insurgent groups operating inside Pakistan and were responsible for the killings of hundreds.
He warned that since the Taliban’s takeover, security in Pakistan has deteriorated steadily, with a marked increase in deadly attacks. “Things are now worse than in 2012,” he said, adding that the country is gripped by a security crisis in which “every week brings bloodier events than before.”
Concluding his remarks, Dar acknowledged the geopolitical realities of the region, stating: “We can’t change our neighbors, and they can’t change us.” His comments reflect growing concern among Pakistani officials over insurgent groups seeking refuge in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
The Taliban administration has repeatedly denied providing support to extremist groups operating in Pakistan, particularly Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and insists that Afghan soil will not be used against any country. However, the continued insecurity in border regions and the rise in guerrilla-style attacks have cast serious doubts on the Taliban’s assurances.
