Two factions within Afghan Taliban, one stoking tensions: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Sunday that within the Afghan Taliban, there are elements that prefer peaceful engagement with Pakistan, while a strong, foreign-backed faction is deliberately stoking tensions between the two countries.

In a detailed statement regarding the Pakistan–Afghan Taliban talks held in Istanbul, the spokesperson said that since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp surge in terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil. Despite suffering military and civilian casualties, Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint and refrained from retaliation, he added.

Pakistan’s goodwill gestures

“Pakistan had expected that over time, the Taliban regime would control these attacks and take concrete action against TTP/FaK elements operating from Afghanistan,” Andrabi said. He added that despite Pakistan’s continued goodwill gestures—such as trade concessions, humanitarian assistance, and facilitation of education and medical visas—the Afghan authorities have responded with “hollow promises and inaction.”

Distraction efforts

The spokesperson said that instead of stopping attacks from their soil, the Taliban regime has attempted to distract from the issue of terrorism through “irrelevant and hypothetical claims,” thereby avoiding its international commitments.

The Taliban regime has always tried to shy away from taking concrete and verifiable actions. Instead, it has tried to confuse the main issue with other relatively irrelevant and hypothetical issues”, the statement said. “By confusing the main issue of terrorism, it keeps trying to develop a narrative which absolves Taliban regime of its commitments and responsibilities towards international community and its own people”.

Referring to Pakistan’s October 2025 response to cross-border attacks, the spokesperson said it reflected Islamabad’s resolve to protect its territory and people. “TTP/FaK and BLA/FaH are declared enemies of Pakistan. Anyone harboring, abetting, or financing them cannot be considered a friend of Pakistan,” he stated.

Andrabi said Pakistan agreed to engage in peace talks mediated by Türkiye and Qatar, emphasizing that the use of force remains a last resort. The first round of talks in Doha resulted in a temporary ceasefire based on mutual understanding, while the Istanbul round was intended to discuss implementation mechanisms. However, he said the Taliban delegation “backed out of commitments and attempted to vitiate the environment with baseless media allegations.”

At subsequent rounds, Pakistan pressed for the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to verify action against terrorist groups, but the Afghan side “focused on prolonging the ceasefire without taking any concrete steps.”

“The Taliban regime was only interested in prolonging the temporary ceasefire, but without taking concrete and verifiable actions against the TTP/FaK and BLA/FaH elements present on Afghan soil”, he said.

Misrepresenting as humanitarian issue

The spokesperson further revealed that Taliban officials were misrepresenting the presence of Pakistani terrorists in Afghanistan as a “humanitarian issue.” He said those terrorists, who fled during Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2015, were now being sheltered and equipped by the Taliban regime, which has refused to hand them over.

Payback for allegiance

“The so-called TTP/FaK abetted Afghan Taliban in their fight against the ISAF and Afghan Government of the time. These terrorists and their families are now being harboured by Taliban regime as a payback for their allegiance to Afghan Taliban. The same terrorists have established training camps in Afghanistan to launch terrorist activities in Pakistan”, the statement said.

Pakistan demands handover of terrorists

“Pakistan has demanded the Taliban regime to hand over these terrorists to Pakistan. The Taliban regime has repeatedly refused to do so, citing lack of control. More than being a matter of capability, it has become a matter of intent of Taliban regime”, the spokesperson stated.

“Empty hopes and hollow promises rendered by Taliban regime so far have already outlived their efficacy. Definite and concrete actions have to be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of the people of Pakistan”.

Refugees

“Taliban authorities are portraying terrorists as refugees—this is not a humanitarian issue but a deliberate attempt to shield them,” he emphasized, adding that Pakistan is ready to receive its citizens if they are handed over lawfully at border crossings, not pushed across with weapons.

Dialogue with TTP and BLA

He emphasised that Pakistan has never eschewed dialogue with any Government in Kabul. However, Pakistan would not hold dialogue with any terrorist group, be it TTP/FaK or BLA/FaH.

Two factions

Andrabi said that among Afghan Taliban, there are people who do not want a confrontation with Pakistan. But there is a strong lobby, with monetary support from foreign actors that has been tasked to stoke tensions.

“In search for legitimacy and to unite their fractious Government, certain elements in Taliban regime, anti-Pakistan terrorist elements and their abettors have found raising the bogey of Pakistan quite useful. These elements have engaged in abuses and outrageous allegations against Pakistan. By doing so, they are fast eroding whatever goodwill they had within Pakistan”, he said.

No internal divisions

He dismissed propaganda suggesting internal divisions over Afghan policy, asserting that the entire Pakistani nation stands firmly with its armed forces against terrorism.

Pashtoon nationalism

The spokesperson also criticized attempts by the Taliban to incite Pashtun nationalism in Pakistan, stating that Pashtuns are an integral part of Pakistan’s social, political, and bureaucratic structure. “There are more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan,” he noted, urging the Taliban to focus instead on inclusivity within their own governance system.

Afghan fatwas

“While the Taliban call terrorism an internal matter for Pakistan, they ignore the fact that individuals in Afghanistan have issued fatwas legitimizing attacks against Pakistan,” Andrabi said, adding that many Afghan nationals are now part of terrorist networks targeting Pakistan.

He concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of issues but stressed that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan remains the foremost concern. “Pakistan’s armed forces and people are fully determined to eliminate terrorism and act against its supporters, abettors, and financiers,” the statement added.

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Statement by the Spokesperson

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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 9, 2025