KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, said that terrorism originating from Afghanistan impacts not only Pakistan but also neighboring countries such as China, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “Pak-Afghan Relations: Challenges and Opportunities” in Islamabad on Tuesday, July 23, Mr. Durrani reiterated his call for the Taliban to take action against terrorist groups and prevent Afghanistan’s soil from being used by these groups.
“Terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is a concern not only for Pakistan but also for neighboring countries such as China, Iran, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan,” the Pakistani envoy said. “Pakistan seeks peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he added.
The Pakistani diplomat’s remarks come as the country has experienced a surge in terrorist attacks since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harboring its enemy, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates, training them, and supplying them with advanced military equipment to conduct cross-border attacks.
The day before, the Pakistan security forces killed three “terrorists” who were trying to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa late night.
Additionally, two terrorist attacks occurred last week in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 10 Pakistani security personnel and several civilians.
Over the past two years, Afghanistan’s northern neighbors, especially Tajikistan, have also repeatedly expressed concerns about the presence and growing capabilities of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
Recently, Rustam Emomali, the speaker of Tajikistan’s parliament and son of President Emomali Rahmon, said that Afghanistan has once again become a breeding ground for international terrorist groups.
The Tajik official highlighted that over 1,000 religious madrasas have been established in Afghanistan in recent years, mainly in the northern provinces. He asserted that these madrasas also train suicide bombers, which could have long-term negative consequences for the region.
In his speech at the UN Security Council last week, Imangali Tasmagambetov, Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), described Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as the “main source” of instability in the region. He emphasized that terrorism, extremism, and drug trafficking in Afghanistan pose serious and growing threats to CSTO member states.
The Taliban, however, has repeatedly denied the presence of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan and their ties with them. They claim to have eradicated ISIS and assert that Afghanistan’s territory poses no threat to any regional country.
