Taliban Spokesman Claims Certain Pakistani Military Factions Fuel Tensions with Afghanistan

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, has stated that the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is “deep,” and that the Taliban has made significant efforts to improve ties between Kabul and Islamabad. However, he alleged that specific factions within the Pakistani military support ongoing tensions between the two countries.

In a radio interview, Mujahid said that the current strained situation between Kabul and Islamabad is not the result of Pakistan’s official policy but, according to him, stems from a “foreign agenda.” He emphasized that these factions are implementing such policies to please major powers.

The Taliban spokesman added that the people of Pakistan suffer the most from these approaches. This comes amid a history of fluctuating relations between the two countries in recent years, with border and political tensions repeatedly overshadowing bilateral relations.

Previously, some Pakistani residents have criticized the country’s military government and called for reducing tensions with neighbors, particularly Afghanistan and India. Nevertheless, critics argue that the Taliban administration has also failed to demonstrate a defensible performance in managing regional relations and providing transparent explanations for the causes of tension, and that it needs to adopt a more responsible and accountable approach to its foreign policies.