Taliban Urges Dialogue With Pakistan Amid Escalating Tensions
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the administrative deputy of the Taliban’s prime minister, has stressed that any negotiations with Pakistan must be based on logical principles. Referring to the escalating tensions between the Taliban administration and Pakistan, Hanafi emphasized that military confrontation benefits neither side and that disputes should be resolved through dialogue grounded in mutual respect and shared interests.
Speaking at a conference titled “Scientific and Research Seminar on the Islamic Emirate’s Role in Attracting Investment” in Kabul, Hanafi claimed the Taliban administration’s foreign policy is founded on fostering good relations with countries around the world. He said, “We have not started a war with any country, but we consider defending ourselves against aggression a legitimate right under Islamic, national, and international law.”
His remarks come amid rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan in recent weeks. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during a meeting with U.S. diplomat Natalie Baker, rejected the prospect of any talks with the Taliban under current conditions, stating that continued negotiations are not possible while security threats persist from Afghan soil.
Naqvi attributed recent attacks in Pakistan to “Afghan civilians and individuals harbored across the border,” stressing that progress in talks is impossible without addressing the ongoing terrorist threats. Efforts two weeks earlier to initiate dialogue in Istanbul ended without results, as the Taliban refused to provide written guarantees to prevent Afghan territory from being used by militant groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Taliban has called Pakistan’s demand for complete control over the TTP unrealistic.
Following eight days of clashes along the border, trade crossings between the two countries have been closed. This blockade has not only paralyzed commercial exchanges but has also deepened the economic crisis for both Afghan and Pakistani traders.
At the same event, Hanafi called on investors to assist returning refugees and those affected by natural disasters as winter approaches. He noted that since the Taliban returned to power, approximately 4.5 million refugees have returned to Afghanistan, many of whom are facing severe economic hardship. Reports indicate that most of these returns have occurred forcibly from Iran and Pakistan.
Also speaking at the seminar, Taliban Economy Minister Din Mohammad Hanif stated that their priorities include improving trade conditions, boosting exports, expanding digital commerce, and building economic infrastructure. While he referenced the devastation Afghanistan’s economy has suffered from four decades of war, he did not acknowledge the Taliban’s own role in the crises of the past 20 years.
