The Taliban-led Afghan government has announced a temporary halt to its military operations against Pakistan, citing diplomatic appeals from Saudi Arabia and Qatar aimed at de-escalating rapidly worsening tensions between the two neighbours.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi declared that Kabul had “achieved its military objectives” during retaliatory strikes on Saturday night, which, according to Afghan sources, resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Pakistani soldiers, and would now “pause” further action “for the time being.”
“Our friends Qatar and Saudi Arabia have expressed that this conflict should come to an end, so we have paused it from our side,” Muttaqi said, adding: “The situation is now under control. We only want good relations and peace.”
The announcement comes amid a sharp deterioration in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations over the past year, fueled by Islamabad’s repeated accusations that the Taliban regime is sheltering militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge Kabul flatly denies.
“There is no presence of TTP in Afghanistan now,” Muttaqi insisted. “Even prior to our return to Kabul, the Pakistan military carried out operations in tribal areas that displaced thousands. The US-backed former Afghan government gave them refuge on our soil.” He stressed that those currently in Afghanistan are “Pakistani refugees,” not militants, and are permitted to reside in the country on humanitarian grounds.
Muttaqi turned the accusation back on Islamabad, urging Pakistan to confront militancy within its own borders. “This fight is inside Pakistan. Instead of blaming us, they should control the issues in their territory,” he said. “Why endanger its own people to please a few?”
He also dismissed the notion that Afghanistan cannot secure its 2,600-km border with Pakistan—the contested Durand Line—quipping: “It could neither be controlled by ‘Changez’ [Genghis Khan] nor ‘Angrez’ [the British]. Strength alone cannot control it.”
Notably, Muttaqi issued a veiled warning: “If Pakistan does not want peace, Afghanistan has other options as well.”
The press conference—his second in New Delhi since arriving on a six-day visit on 9 October—marked a subtle but significant shift in Taliban protocol. Unlike Friday’s event, which drew criticism for excluding women journalists and featuring no official flag, Muttaqi this time sat before the white banner of the Islamic Emirate, even as India continues to recognise only the flag of the defunct Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at its embassy.
His visit includes high-stakes diplomacy: on Friday, he held the highest-level meeting between Kabul and New Delhi since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, meeting External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss trade, connectivity, and regional stability.
Despite the border flare-up, Muttaqi sought to distinguish between the Pakistani state and its people. “The majority of Pakistanis are peace-loving and want good relations with Afghanistan. We have no issues with civilians,” he said.
With Saudi and Qatari mediation now in play, regional observers will be watching closely to see whether this “pause” marks the beginning of a genuine ceasefire—or merely a tactical lull before the next storm.