ISLAMABAD (THE THURSDAY TIMES) — Pakistan has declared that it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its citizens and eliminate terrorism after talks with the Afghan Taliban failed to produce any concrete outcome. In a statement, Islamabad reaffirmed that it will not compromise on national security and will use every available resource to dismantle terrorist groups, their hideouts, and their facilitators.
Pakistan revealed that since the Taliban took power in Kabul, it has repeatedly engaged with the Afghan Taliban regime to address cross-border terrorism, particularly from groups it claims are backed by India, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Islamabad insists that the Afghan Taliban were urged to honour commitments made under the Doha Agreement with both Pakistan and the international community, but the regime failed to act decisively against anti-Pakistan militants.
Officials in Islamabad accused the Taliban government of neglecting its responsibility to the Afghan people and depending on a war economy that threatens to drag the region into unnecessary conflict. Pakistan reiterated that it has long sacrificed for the peace and prosperity of Afghanistan and, in the same spirit, held talks with the Taliban government at the request of Qatar and Türkiye. These meetings, held in Doha and later in Istanbul, focused on one core demand — that Afghan soil must not be used for launching terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan expressed gratitude to Qatar and Türkiye for mediating the discussions and acknowledged their sincere efforts to convince the Taliban to take action. However, after four days of negotiations, Islamabad said the Afghan delegation failed to provide firm assurances despite being presented with what Pakistan described as irrefutable evidence. The talks, it added, were derailed by deflection and blame-shifting from the Taliban side, resulting in no workable agreement.
While thanking its regional partners for supporting peace efforts, Pakistan emphasised that it remains committed to regional stability and cooperation. Yet, it warned that continued terrorist attacks would leave Islamabad with no choice but to exercise its right to defend its people and territory through decisive measures.
