Cross-border terrorism was the primary focus when a high-level Pakistani delegation met with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Thursday. They urged the Taliban to address cross-border terrorism by taking decisive action against militants allegedly using Afghan soil for attacks. This call comes after a recent suicide car bombing killed five Chinese engineers.
The meeting in Kabul took place a few days after Islamabad revealed the arrest of about a dozen suspects linked to the deadly March assault on Chinese civilians. Pakistan stated that an Afghan national executed the bombing, with support from handlers in Afghanistan. The Chinese victims were working on a China-funded hydropower project in northwestern Pakistan.
Deputy Taliban Interior Minister Muhammad Nabi Omari and his Pakistani counterpart, Muhammad Khurram Agha, led their respective delegations at the Thursday meeting. A Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said discussions focused on the March 26 terrorist attack against Chinese nationals. Pakistan shared their investigation findings with Taliban officials, seeking Afghanistan’s help in apprehending the perpetrators.
The Afghan side agreed to review Pakistan’s findings and expressed their determination to work with Pakistan to conclude the investigation. Officials privy to the talks informed that Pakistan highlighted the involvement of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the attack on Chinese workers and other terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani shared details of the meeting. He said Khurram Agha discussed the March 26 attack and hoped for Afghan cooperation in the security sector. Omari described the attack on Chinese nationals as tragic and emphasized their commitment to promoting regional peace.
Omari reiterated Afghanistan’s pledge not to allow its territory to be used for attacks on other countries and expressed hope for mutual respect of this principle. The TTP, a globally designated terrorist organization, has long conducted deadly attacks in Pakistan, targeting security forces and civilians.
Islamabad maintains that after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan nearly three years ago, TTP leaders and fighters relocated to sanctuaries in Afghanistan, increasing cross-border attacks with greater freedom. Taliban authorities deny these allegations, asserting that no militant groups, including TTP, are based on Afghan soil.
Both sides agreed to continue engaging to tackle the terrorism threat to regional countries and address Pakistan’s concerns. The Pakistani military reviewed the security situation and the threat of terrorism from Afghanistan during a leadership meeting on Thursday. They expressed serious concerns over continued cross-border violations from Afghanistan, noting that adversaries were using Afghan soil to target Pakistani security forces and civilians.
