In a new diplomatic initiative following Islamabad’s announcement of an operation against Afghanistan-based terrorists, a delegation from the Afghan Taliban, led by spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, met with Pakistani diplomats at the Doha-III conference.
Although Pakistan and Afghanistan have historically maintained close ties as South Asian neighbors, these relations have recently been strained by frequent cross-border attacks, predominantly by the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan claims operates from Afghan territory.
The Afghan interim government representatives are in Doha to participate in discussions aimed at enhancing engagement with Afghanistan, addressing economic issues, and coordinating counter-narcotics efforts. They are scheduled to meet with UN officials and over 20 envoys, including the US special representative to Afghanistan, to discuss the international community’s approach to Kabul’s new rulers, according to Reuters.
During their visit, Pakistani Ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Aejaz hosted a dinner for the Afghan Taliban delegation at his residence in Doha. The event was attended by senior diplomats, including Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Asif Durrani and the Deputy Head of Mission in Kabul Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani. Durrani shared photos of the occasion on X (formerly Twitter), noting that they discussed developments at the Doha-III conference as well as bilateral and regional issues.
Ambassador Aejaz expressed his delight on X, stating, “Very delighted to have hosted tonight the AIG [Afghanistan interim government] and Pakistan delegations attending the Doha-III [conference]. Both remain neighbors and brothers and have a lot in common, including a strong desire for regional peace and security.”
Diplomatic sources described the meeting as “unusual” and noted that the Taliban representatives also met with an Indian delegation in Doha. The sources indicated that the engagement was held in a “positive environment,” with the Afghan interim government representatives thanking Islamabad for its support of Kabul’s stance at the Doha conference and on a national level.
Mujahid also posted on X about the meeting, saying, “We had a very good evening meeting with Pakistan’s special representative Asif Durrani, the ambassador, and consuls in Doha. We thank them for their hospitality and hope for good and constructive relations for both countries.”
From a diplomatic perspective, this high-level gathering from neighboring South Asian states appears to be an effort to improve relations by discussing bilateral issues.
Last week, the federal government approved a new operation, Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism initiative aimed at eliminating terrorism within the country. Recently, Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif criticized the Afghan government in an interview with BBC Urdu for its inaction against militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border despite repeated requests. In another interview with the Voice of America (VoA), Asif stated that Pakistan might target terrorist hideouts across the border in Afghanistan under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam and dismissed the possibility of negotiations with the outlawed TTP.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified that the new operation was not a large-scale military endeavor and would not result in population displacement.
During the Afghan Taliban’s rule, Pakistan conducted intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the border regions of Afghanistan against terrorists from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, who were responsible for the March 16 attack in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, and multiple other terrorist attacks. However, the Afghan interim government strongly reacted to these “air strikes,” warning that it “does not allow anyone to compromise security by using Afghan territory.”
