Pakistan has been battling the scourge of terrorism for the past two decades.
Since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the relentless cycle of terrorism has continued. This is primarily due to the Afghan Taliban’s support and patronage of terrorists, which Pakistan has repeatedly brought to their attention.
Leveraging the full support and facilitation of the Afghan Taliban government in the shape of funds and the establishment of training camps, the TTP carried out over 600 attacks in Pakistan in 2024. These attacks resulted in the loss of hundreds of innocent lives and inflicted significant economic damage on Pakistan.
The severity of the challenge is evident from the fact that Pakistan has been ranked second among the countries most affected by terrorism in the Global Terrorism Index 2025 report.
The latest incident of Jaffar Express by BLA is another example that attack was orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists.
Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny the use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to improve relations with Afghanistan have been unsuccessful due to the irresponsible behaviour of the Kabul government. A recent example is:
The Kabul government should now fully realize that the way it has supported terrorism during its three-year rule, the Pakistani government and its people will not tolerate it any longer.
The statement by the Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid regarding the arrest of Sharifullah, the main suspect in the 2021 Kabul airport attack, is inaccurate. He claims that the arrest of an Afghan citizen and Islamic State group member on Pakistani soil proves that IS has established sanctuaries in Pakistan and that Afghanistan has no connection to the matter. However, the reality is that Sharifullah, alis Jaafar, who was extradited to the United States by Pakistan, is an Afghan citizen who joined the IS-K in 2016 and became a senior operational commander. He was involved in dozens of high-profile attacks and confessed to his crimes in 2019. In 2021, the Afghan Taliban helped him escape from prison, and immediately after his escape, he carried out the attack on Kabul airport.
Moreover, the Taliban government spokesperson should also address the fact that over 150 TTP terrorists have been killed on Afghan soil, which is evidence that Afghanistan has become a breeding ground for terrorism.
There is undeniable evidence that the Afghan government is providing protection to the TTP. Can the Afghan government spokesperson refute the report published by the Afghan Inspector General for Reconstruction on January 30, 2025?
Another piece of evidence is the death of the son of a high-ranking Afghan Taliban official alongside the Khwaraj. According to details, on January 30, 2025, Badghis province deputy governor Maulvi Ghulam Mohammad’s son, Badruddin, also known as Yusuf, was among four terrorists killed in a security forces operation in Kalachi, Dera Ismail Khan.
The Afghan Taliban should also keep in mind that the killing of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani at the hands of ISKP is undeniable proof of this group’s active operations inside Afghanistan. Stopping the movement of ISKP is primarily Afghanistan’s responsibility, but their inability to prevent their own land from being used for terrorism has led to the group becoming stronger within Afghanistan, which is a growing threat to the region.
Incidents of individuals entering Pakistan do not indicate the presence of ISKP but rather expose Afghanistan’s weak border management, which requires immediate reform. Accusing Pakistan is an attempt to divert attention from the real issue.
The Kabul government should now fully realize that the way it has supported terrorism during its three-year rule, the Pakistani government and its people will not tolerate it any longer. Pakistan reserves the right to use all options to completely rid its land and people of this scourge of terrorism. Pakistan has repeatedly tried to convince the Afghan government to come together to eliminate this scourge of terrorism and use the region’s resources for the development of the people. Unfortunately, denial mode and irresponsible approach have once again posed a serious danger to the peace of the entire region.
The writer is a freelance columnist with special focus on issues concerning national security.