Pakistan dismissed the Afghan Taliban regime's claim that Kabul lacks the interest or ability to destabilise Pakistan. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the statements from the Taliban as "diversionary allegations" in an official statement.
The ministry stated that "Pakistan's concerns are not based on conjecture." To support its position, the ministry referenced the 16th report from the UN Security Council's Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team (S/2025/796).
Officials also cited the US Lead Inspector General's Operation Enduring Sentinel report to Congress for the period of January-March 2026. That US report indicated the Afghan Taliban continue to permit the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory.
The report estimated the TTP's strength to be between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters. The ministry noted that "These assessments underscore the seriousness of Pakistan's concerns regarding terrorist sanctuaries and support networks operating from Afghan soil."
Pakistan expressed worry over the alleged facilitation of terrorist groups by Afghan Taliban officials in Kandahar. The ministry added that "Such concerns cannot be dismissed through blanket denials; they require credible explanations and verifiable action."
Islam called on the Afghan Taliban regime to stop supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The ministry warned that "Attempts to portray Pakistan's legitimate security concerns and necessary defensive measures as hostility towards Afghanistan will neither deflect attention from the issue nor resolve it."
A sharp increase in cross-border terrorist incidents has occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
