Pakistan’s Defense Minister Demands Taliban Commitment to Regional Stability

Khwaaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, emphasized that to establish sustainable stability in the region amid increasing attacks and border tensions, the Taliban must provide a written commitment not to use Afghan soil against Pakistan, and this commitment should be guaranteed by friendly countries in the region. He claimed that the internal situation in Afghanistan is unfavorable and field evidence contradicts the Taliban’s claim of controlling terrorism…

Demand for an International Commitment from the Taliban

Khwaaja Muhammad Asif, in an interview with Express News’ Center Stage program, raised Islamabad’s new and firm demands from the Taliban caretaker government in light of heightened border tensions and recent terrorist attacks in the country. He asserted that to create sustainable stability in the region, it is necessary for the Taliban to provide an official written commitment that Afghan territory will never be used against Pakistan, and, more importantly, this commitment must be backed by friendly countries. The Defense Minister of Pakistan stated that the Taliban’s claims of not using Afghan soil contradict the ground realities and the evidence shows otherwise.

Proposal for Regional Consensus

Khwaaja Asif emphasized that Islamabad has repeatedly conveyed its message to Kabul: they have been told that terrorism should not originate from their territory. If it is not the case now, ensure that it will never be. This demand is completely fair. He further proposed that important regional and Islamic countries including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, China, and Qatar should act as guarantors of this commitment in order to establish a clear pathway for regional stability. This proposal reflects Pakistan’s efforts to create consensus and regional pressure on the Taliban.

Afghanistan; Safe Haven for Armed Groups

The Defense Minister of Pakistan claimed that both recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan are directly linked to Afghanistan. Khwaaja Asif also described the internal situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule as unfavorable and claimed that the country has become a safe haven for armed groups. He attributed this situation to the collapse of state institutions, the economic crisis, and the inefficiency of the judiciary and rule of law in Afghanistan, stating that these conditions have provided the grounds for the activities of armed groups. In another part of his speech, the Defense Minister stressed the need to manage the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as an official international border. He said that better control of the borders can not only reduce attacks but also help prevent smuggling and the illegal flow of currency. These comments come at a time when relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been severely tense in recent months, and the third round of negotiations between the two parties in Istanbul has ended without a specified outcome. The Taliban have repeatedly denied Pakistan’s allegations regarding the presence and activities of anti-Pakistani armed groups on Afghan soil.