Pak-Afghan ties have hit a new low as tensions escalate in Islamabad over the Taliban government’s lack of response to its longstanding security concerns over cross-border terrorism.
Escalating Tensions Over Cross-Border Terrorism
Earlier this year, officials of the two sides exchanged hot words. Last month, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry accused Islamabad of launching airstrikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces. He called this a provocative act leading to the deaths of several Afghan civilians. Mohammad Yaqoob, the Afghan Defense Minister, stated that Pakistan sought to veil the weaknesses of its security agencies by shifting the blame for the terrorist attacks on its soil to Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry dismissed all such accusations and described Mullah Yaqoob’s assertions as an effort to mitigate the seriousness of the situation.
Since the Taliban’s return to Kabul, the TTP’s attacks in Pakistan have surged to a significant level. The interim Taliban government’s loose grip over the country enabled the reorganization of non-state actors in Afghanistan, leading to a significant escalation in cross-border terrorist attacks and posing a solemn threat to the Eastern neighbor’s security. The two countries held countless rounds of talks in the last four issues on the issue of cross-border terrorism and TTP and BLA’s safe havens in Afghanistan. However, these negotiations yielded few results. Islamabad repeatedly urged Kabul to take strict action against the TTP. The interim Taliban government offered assurances and guarantees to Pakistan. However, terrorist attacks by the TTP and BLA in Pakistan increased with the passage of time.
From Retaliation to Repatriation: Pakistan’s Policy Shift
This inaction against the terrorist organizations by the interim Afghan government, increasing cross-border terrorism, and rising casualties among the Pakistani security personnel compelled Islamabad to conduct air strikes targeting TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan last year, leading to strained relations between the two sides. The April 2024 airstrikes by the Pakistan Air Force met a harsh-worded response from the interim Taliban government and heightened border tensions. However, Islamabad warned that it would continue to target TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan if the Taliban government did not take serious action against the organization. In December 2024, Pakistan again carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
This Pakistani attack was followed by a horrifying TTP attack on a security checkpoint in the bordering area, killing 16 Pakistani military personnel. Pakistan also increased transit trade restrictions on Afghanistan, resulting in a ban on several Afghan imports, after this attack. Islamabad also imposed stringent limits on bilateral trade to exert financial and diplomatic pressure on the Taliban government. Islamabad also started deporting undocumented Afghan refugees after increased cross-border terrorist activities. Around 1.2 million illegal Afghan refugees have been repatriated by the Pakistani government in the past few years. In retaliation, the interim Afghan government initiated diplomatic engagement with India, signaling a shift from Islamabad to New Delhi after the former’s tough Afghan policy. On 9th October, Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Kabul on TTP hideouts, further flaring tensions between the two sides. In retaliation, the Afghan Taliban warned Pakistan of solemn consequences. On the other hand, Afghan Taliban announced it would reopen its embassy in New Delhi, showing its tilt towards raising diplomatic and security concerns for Pakistan.
The Diplomatic Tightrope: Between Carrots and Sticks
In 2025, Pakistan altered its diplomatic approach towards Afghanistan. It switched to a carrot-and-stick policy towards Kabul. China also played a constructive role in enhancing relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In May 2025, China mediated between the two sides to improve their bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to upgrade their ties after China’s mediation. Different Pakistani officials, including the Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, visited Kabul to strengthen bilateral relations. In July 2025, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan signed a trilateral framework agreement to launch a regional railway project aimed at boosting connectivity and trade across the region.
In August, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul for the third time to participate in a trilateral meeting for strengthening regional cooperation. However, the meeting remained inconclusive over the issue of security, leaving the Pakistani and Chinese delegations disappointed. No joint statement was issued at the end of the meeting, as the Taliban government refused to name TTP and ETIM, a move starkly in contrast to the previous meetings between the two sides. This conveyed a sense that the Taliban government is not willing to take action against the TTP or other such groups.
Although the relations between the two sides are highly intensified and Pakistan’s frustration is growing rapidly due to increasing terrorist attacks, the latter must engage Kabul diplomatically. Otherwise, the Taliban government could return to the regional policy shifts it adopted previously, further increasing diplomatic and security complexities for Islamabad. This leaves the latter with a policy dilemma. Pakistan’s kinetic response to the TTP’s cross-border activities could further deteriorate the relations between the two sides, providing an opportunity for the terrorist organizations to exploit this diplomatic crisis. Pakistan must use a multipronged strategy to engage the interim Afghan government for enhancing bilateral relations and detaining terrorist leaders.
Аbbas Hashemite is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist
Follow new articles on our Telegram channel
