ISLAMABAD: Amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul, Pakistan on Saturday rejected the “deliberate twisting of facts” attributed to the Afghan Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, regarding the recent Istanbul talks between the two countries.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of Information said Pakistan had demanded that terrorists based in Afghanistan and posing a threat to Pakistan either be controlled or arrested.
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“When the Afghan side claimed those individuals were Pakistani nationals, Islamabad immediately proposed that they be handed over through designated border crossings, in line with its long-standing position,” it said.
“Any claim to the contrary is false and misleading,” the statement added
The clarification came after Zabihullah Mujahid told a private news channel that during the Istanbul negotiations, the Afghan side had offered to deport individuals considered security threats by Islamabad — a proposal Pakistan allegedly declined.
He alleged that Pakistan had instead asked Afghanistan to restrain those individuals within Afghanistan rather than deport them.
Mujahid further asserted that Afghanistan’s policy prohibits migrants from carrying weapons and said that Kabul would act if Pakistan provided credible evidence of any threat.
He also alleged that Pakistan’s recent actions appeared to be aimed at creating conditions for a possible US return to the Bagram airbase.
Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime agreed to uphold ceasefire after multiple rounds of talks in Istanbul collapsed without a breakthrough.
The talks had broken down when the Taliban refused to provide verifiable guarantees that groups such as the TTP would not use Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan.
Pakistan had recommenced talks at the request of mediators Turkey and Qatar to give peace another chance, while repeatedly urging Kabul to act against militants using its territory as a safe haven.
‘Malicious and misleading’
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif — in a statement posted on X — strongly condemned “malicious and misleading” remarks made by the Afghan Taliban’s spokesperson, saying that Pakistan’s political and military leadership stands united on the country’s security and Afghan policies.
Asif said there exists complete unanimity of views among Pakistanis — including the political and military leadership — on the nation’s comprehensive approach toward Afghanistan and its commitment to regional peace and stability.
He said the people of Pakistan, particularly those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are fully aware of the Afghan Taliban regime’s “treacherous and barbaric patronisation of India-sponsored terrorism” and “harbour no illusions” about its intentions or conduct.
