Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that during his recent visit to Kabul, Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government informed him about detaining “hundreds” of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.
Dar said Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi even invited a Pakistani delegation to verify the arrests, though he stressed that the measures taken so far were “not enough.” Briefing the media on his visits to Moscow, Berlin, and Brussels, he reiterated Islamabad’s longstanding demand that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
Dar said Pakistan believes far more decisive and sustained action is required against TTP militants operating from Afghanistan. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in terrorism, including the Islamabad suicide attack planned by TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud, which killed 12 people.
Tensions escalated further after cross-border clashes in October in which Taliban fighters and TTP militants attacked Pakistani posts, resulting in heavy casualties and prompting Pakistani retaliatory strikes.
He noted that high-level engagement between the two countries had been absent for four years and urged Kabul to review its policy, warning that Pakistan had “carried the coffins of its own soldiers” due to continued attacks.
Dar said Pakistan had suffered 4,000 martyrdoms since 2021 and had clearly told Afghanistan that its territory must not be used for terrorism. Islamabad further requested Kabul to relocate or hand over TTP elements.
Dar disclosed that Pakistan had been prepared to launch a “cleanup operation” inside Afghanistan, but Qatar and Turkiye intervened to mediate. Negotiations, however, failed after the Taliban refused to shift their position.
On humanitarian matters, he said Pakistan was considering allowing essential food supplies to Afghanistan on a UN request. Regarding Gaza, Dar stated Pakistan was willing to contribute to an International Stabilisation Force, provided the UN Security Council clearly defines its mandate.
