Pakistan-Taliban Border Tensions Escalate; Islamabad Calls for Afghan People’s Freedom

Pakistan-Taliban Border Tensions Escalate; Islamabad Calls for Afghan People’s Freedom
——————————————
Border clashes between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistani forces have intensified, prompting a strongly-worded statement from Islamabad demanding the freedom of the Afghan people and the establishment of a truly representative government.

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a sharp statement accusing the Afghan Taliban of “unprovoked border attacks,” emphasizing that these actions “undermine the spirit of peaceful coexistence,” reported Radio Farda. Islamabad called on the Taliban to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorist activities against Pakistan and to play a constructive role in regional peace and stability.

The statement identified hardline Sunni militant groups, such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K)—which Pakistan refers to as Khawarij—as agents of instability. It urged the Afghan Taliban to restrict these groups’ access to Afghan territory.

In a veiled criticism, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated its hope that the Afghan people would one day be liberated and that a genuine, representative government would assume power, according to Middle East News.

The border clashes began Saturday night with a Taliban attack on Pakistani army posts, which met with a reciprocal response from Islamabad, creating unprecedented tension between Kabul and Islamabad, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). While the Afghan Taliban claimed over 50 Pakistani soldiers were killed, the Pakistani army confirmed the deaths of 23 soldiers.

Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, claimed during a visit to India that opponents of the Pakistani government were not present on Afghan soil. Pakistani officials countered that the Taliban’s claims were an attempt to divert public attention from the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the armed forces for their decisive response to the Taliban aggression and stressed the necessity of guaranteeing that the Taliban will not use Afghan territory against Pakistan’s security. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced his readiness to mediate between the two countries to establish peace if the clashes continue.