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 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses federal cabinet meeting on October 16, 2025. — YouTube/Geo News/screengrab
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the Taliban regime in Afghanistan recently launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan at India’s behest as the neighbouring countries faced heightened tensions.
Addressing the federal cabinet meeting on Pak-Afghan border tensions on Thursday, the premier said that the attacks occurred when Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on a visit to India.
The Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan （TTP）, alias Fitna al-Khawarij, resorted to an unprovoked attack on Pakistan on Sunday.
Pakistan Armed Forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military\“s media wing said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.
Later, at the request of the Afghan Taliban regime, and with mutual consent, Pakistan and the Taliban agreed to a temporary ceasefire for 48 hours, effective from October 15.
Chairing the federal cabinet meeting today, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan was ready to hold talks with the Taliban regime on reasonable terms. “Now the ball is in the Taliban regime\“s court for a permanent ceasefire,“ he added.
“Unfortunately, despite all efforts, [Taliban regime in] Afghanistan did not prioritise peace and adopted the path of aggression,” the premier said.
Pakistan had to launch a full-scale retaliatory action as patience had run out after the recent events, he said, while referring to rising incidents of cross-border terrorism.
The premier said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and other officials repeatedly visited Kabul to convey Pakistan’s desire for peace and development in the region.
Heightened tensions
Islamabad and Kabul are witnessing heightened tensions amid the interim Afghan government\“s reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.
The country has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.
The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points, which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.
However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.
Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council （UNSC） by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP, with the former providing logistical, operational, and financial support to the latter.
Pakistan has hosted Afghans for more than four decades, from the Soviet invasion through the Taliban takeover in 2021. Some refugees were born and raised in Pakistan; others are still waiting for third-country relocation.
According to media reports, following a 2023 crackdown on undocumented Afghans and those exceeding legal status, more than 554,000 Afghans have been returned since April 2025 under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan — including around 145,000 in August. |
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Post time 2025-10-17 14:16:47