Pakistan Repeats Terrorism Claims Amid Strained Ties with Afghanistan

In a press briefing, he said that efforts to improve relations are ongoing, but security concerns and the presence of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan remain major challenges.

Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters: “We have been reiterating that it remains an important bilateral relationship for Pakistan, we are neighbors bound by layers of history, culture, language. We have been trying to improve relations but the major roadblock, of course, remains the security situation and the sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists. Recently, the Special Representative’s visit to Kabul was very successful.”

Previously, Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s former special envoy for Afghanistan, had described the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the primary obstacle in bilateral relations during a session in Islamabad, emphasizing that this issue must be resolved. He warned that if not addressed, all agreements between the two countries could be canceled.

Gul Mohammaddin Mohammadi, a political analyst, said regarding the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan: “These two countries are neighbors. They need to solve their problems through dialogue and avoid creating further hardship for the people living on both sides of the Durand Line.”

Janat Faheem Chakari, another analyst, said: “TTP is not an Afghan phenomenon. It originated within Pakistan. The Pakistani government should listen to its own people, who want a government based on Islamic Sharia.”

In addition to Pakistan’s repeated claims about Afghan territory being used against it, the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is also a major issue that has further strained relations between Kabul and Islamabad.