ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Afghanistan are on edge as fragile ceasefire between two sides faces intense scrutiny after false claims by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
Pakistan has outright rejected the Taliban’s version of events from the recent Istanbul talks, calling them a “deliberate twisting of facts.”
Pakistan demanded that Afghan-based terrorists threatening its security be either controlled or handed over through official border crossings. “Any claim that Pakistan refused Afghanistan’s offer to deport these individuals is false and misleading,” the Ministry of Information said in a statement.
Mujahid, however, alleges that Pakistan turned down Afghanistan’s deportation offer and instead asked Kabul to merely restrain these militants inside its territory. He further claimed Pakistan’s recent actions could be part of a plan to facilitate a US return to Bagram airbase, fueling speculation of geopolitical maneuvering behind the ceasefire.
The tensions are rooted in escalating attacks across KP and Balochistan provinces since Afghan Taliban seized power four years back. Despite repeated issues, Taliban allegedly provided refuge to multiple terrorist groups, prompting deadly border clashes on October 12. Over 200 Taliban fighters were reportedly killed in retaliation, while Pakistan mourned 23 soldiers lost in the conflict.
After temporary hostilities ceased on October 17, Qatar-mediated talks and subsequent Istanbul negotiations offered a slim hope for peace. Yet, the Taliban’s refusal to give verifiable guarantees against attacks by groups such as the TTP has left the ceasefire hanging by a thread. The next round of talks is scheduled for November 6 — but with trust at an all-time low, the region watches nervously.
