The Afghan Taliban’s four-year rule is marked by utter failure, significantly contributing to the surge in terrorism and regional instability. Reports from the UN monitoring bodies and human rights organisations starkly reveal the Taliban’s sponsorship of terrorist activities. Despite repeated reminders from the international community to uphold their obligations under the 2020 Doha Agreement, their response has been conspicuously disappointing, indicative of their blatant disregard for global concerns.
In this whole scenario, Pakistan is the only country that has been constantly bearing the brunt of the Afghan Taliban’s blatant violations of international obligations. The 36% rise in cross-border infiltrations in 2025, the worst since the Taliban takeover, is the undeniable proof of state-sponsored terrorism.
Pakistan has paid a heavy price and made it clear that it cannot further compromise on the safety and security of its people.
Despite the deceitful and non-cooperative attitude of the Afghan Taliban, Islamabad left no stone unturned to persuade the Kabul authorities to prevent the use of their soil against Pakistan. The latest talks in Istanbul have provided an opportunity for the Taliban to reconsider their approach and jointly work for the stability of the region. However, their mulish attitude resulted in a deadlock, after which they began blaming Pakistan for the failure of talks. In his latest outburst, Zabiullah Mujahid claimed the Istanbul talks failed because Pakistan is “unfairly” blaming Afghanistan for its own security issues. Let’s put the record straight. The UN, U.S. State Department, and global watchdogs have all confirmed that TTP operates freely inside Afghanistan, funded and protected by the Taliban regime. These terrorists have launched over 600 cross-border attacks on Pakistan in 2024 alone, killing soldiers, civilians, and families.
The Afghan Taliban’s denial stands in stark contrast to the findings of the 2025 UNSC Report, which documents TTP’s safe havens comprising 6,000-6,500 fighters in Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika, along with evidence of monthly financial assistance amounting to $43,000 extended to the group.
The presence of Al-Qaeda leaders like Saif al-Adl and Hamza Bin Laden and the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul in August 2022 via a US drone strike is strong evidence of the Taliban’s patronage of Al-Qaeda.
In addition to the above, the reports by the 35th and 36th UN Monitoring Team (2025) highlight the Taliban’s support for groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda. The Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence provided facilities to TTP leaders. The 68th SIGAR report (July 2025) validated Pakistan’s stance on the Taliban’s provision of safe havens to groups like ISIS Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, and TTP.
Additionally, the reports from the UN, the U.S and the EU also corroborate the Taliban’s links with Al-Qaeda, ISIS-K, and TTP, a direct breach of the Doha Agreement they signed in 2020.
The silence of Western countries and human rights watchdogs on blatant violations by the Afghan Taliban raises serious questions about whether sheltering terrorists isn’t a crime under international law.
Pakistan has paid a heavy price and made it clear that it cannot further compromise on the safety and security of its people. The Afghan Taliban need to understand that only through practical and sincere efforts can the path towards stability be achieved.
The writer is a freelance columnist and contributes regularly on issues concerning national security.