Pakistan Demands Afghan Action Against Militants Amid Rising Border Tensions

OPA WIRE, Oct 24 (OPA) — Islamabad’s Information Ministry issued a statement on Saturday calling for verifiable action against militant groups, including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The ministry dismissed claims from Kabul that Pakistan was attempting to deflect blame for its own internal security challenges, insisting that Afghan territory remains a staging ground for cross-border attacks.

The diplomatic friction intensified after former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad alleged that Pakistan was arming Afghan factions and recruiting fighters to combat anti-Pakistan insurgents. Islamabad rejected these claims, citing a 2026 U.S. report that estimates the TTP strength at 4,000 to 6,000 fighters. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid countered by denying responsibility for Pakistan’s internal instability, asserting that Kabul lacks the intent and capacity to finance regional unrest.

Security data provided by Pakistani authorities indicates that over 2,800 militant attacks have occurred since January, resulting in 3,000 deaths. These incidents are concentrated primarily in the northwest and Balochistan province. Pakistan maintains that many TTP and BLA leaders have operated from Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, a charge the Afghan government consistently denies.

Pakistan is currently executing multiple counterterrorism operations near the Afghan border to neutralize these threats. The Information Ministry emphasized that these measures target militant infrastructure rather than the Afghan populace. Islamabad continues to press the Taliban government to cease all facilitation of extremist organizations to prevent further escalation of violence along the frontier.