AMBASSADOR Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, has once again underscored a pressing concern that continues to cast a long shadow over Pak-Afghan relations: the persistent threat posed by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Speaking at a seminar, Ambassador Sadiq observed that despite Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent positive engagement in Kabul, Afghan authorities have not been able to address Pakistan’s concerns regarding the TTP.
Sadiq candidly acknowledged the apparent difference of opinion within the Afghan leadership on how to handle the TTP — a group responsible for heinous acts of terrorism inside Pakistan.
He noted that while the Afghan Taliban now exercise control over cities, towns and villages across Afghanistan, they seem unwilling or unable to move beyond the wartime mindset and confront terrorist elements operating from their soil.
What makes the situation even more troubling is the external dimension of support for these terrorist groups.
Numerous international reports — including those by the UN and other credible sources — have confirmed that elements of India’s intelligence apparatus have provided backing and safe havens to anti-Pakistan militants operating from Afghan soil.
This is not a mere allegation, but a documented reality that continues to destabilize not only Pakistan but the broader region.
It is for the Afghan authorities to take decisive and irreversible action against the TTP and other terrorist outfits using Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan.
These groups do not serve Afghanistan’s interests either.
They undermine the country’s own stability, threaten regional peace and hinder prospects for cooperation, economic integration and connectivity — goals which are vital for the future of South and Central Asia.
Afghanistan’s people have suffered enough and they deserve a future that is not held hostage by non-state actors.
It is time the Afghan authorities demonstrate political will and responsibility by working with Pakistan — not at cross purposes, but in genuine partnership — to eliminate these groups.
Only then can both nations begin to rebuild trust, forge stronger ties and unlock the full potential of regional collaboration.
