Amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul, Pakistan on Saturday rejected the “deliberate twisting of facts” attributed to the Afghan Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, regarding the recent Istanbul talks between the two countries. In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of Information said Pakistan had demanded that terrorists based in Afghanistan and posing a threat to Pakistan either be controlled or arrested
“When the Afghan side claimed those individuals were Pakistani nationals, Islamabad immediately proposed that they be handed over through designated border crossings, in line with its long-standing position,” it said.
“Any claim to the contrary is false and misleading,” the statement added.
The clarification came after Zabihullah Mujahid told a private news channel that during the Istanbul negotiations, the Afghan side had offered to deport individuals considered security threats by Islamabad – a proposal Pakistan allegedly declined. He alleged that Pakistan had instead asked Afghanistan to restrain those individuals within Afghanistan rather than deport them.
Mujahid further asserted that Afghanistan’s policy prohibits migrants from carrying weapons and said that Kabul would act if Pakistan provided credible evidence of any threat. He also alleged that Pakistan’s recent actions appeared to be aimed at creating conditions for a possible US return to the Bagram airbase.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif – in a statement posted on X – strongly condemned “malicious and misleading” remarks made by the Afghan Taliban’s spokesperson, saying that Pakistan’s political and military leadership stands united on the country’s security and Afghan policies.
Asif said there exists complete unanimity of views among Pakistanis – including the political and military leadership – on the nation’s comprehensive approach toward Afghanistan and its commitment to regional peace and stability.
He said the people of Pakistan, particularly those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are fully aware of the Afghan Taliban regime’s “treacherous and barbaric patronisation of India-sponsored terrorism” and “harbour no illusions” about its intentions or conduct.
The defence minister said the non-representative Afghan Taliban regime suffers from deep internal divisions and continues to oppress Afghan ethnic groups, women, children, and minorities while suppressing fundamental rights such as education, representation, and freedom of expression.
“Even after four years in power, the regime has failed to deliver on promises made to the international community,” Asif remarked, accusing the Taliban of masking their lack of governance and stability through rhetoric and serving as a proxy for external interests.