By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials on Tuesday categorically rejected reports that a three-member government delegation had traveled to Kabul for negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, dismissing the claims as fabricated propaganda spread by Afghan accounts on social media.
The denial came as tensions along the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan border remain elevated following the launch of a Pakistani military operation in late February. Islamabad has long accused the Taliban-led government in Kabul of sheltering militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, known in official Pakistani parlance as Fitna-al-Khawarij, and has insisted that no dialogue will occur until Kabul takes concrete steps to dismantle those sanctuaries.
“There was no truth to these reports and Pakistan had not sent any such delegation to Kabul,” senior Pakistani officials told reporters, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic matters. The sources described the circulating stories as the work of “Afghan propaganda accounts” and said Pakistan’s position remained unchanged: the Afghan Taliban must cease facilitating the militants and launch decisive action against them. Until that happens, the officials said, Pakistan would continue targeted operations against militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.
The reports of alleged talks first surfaced on social media and were amplified by Tolo News, Afghanistan’s leading broadcaster, which cited an unnamed source claiming the Pakistani delegation was engaged in discussions in the Afghan capital. Pakistani officials moved swiftly to quash the narrative, underscoring that Islamabad sees no room for negotiation while cross-border threats persist.
The latest episode unfolded against the backdrop of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which Pakistan initiated in late February after what officials described as “unprovoked firing” by Afghan Taliban forces from across the border. The operation, whose name translates roughly to “Wrath for Truth,” represents a significant escalation in Pakistan’s efforts to neutralize militant threats originating from Afghan soil.
For years, Pakistan has accused the Taliban of providing safe haven to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants since the group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. United Nations monitoring reports over the past two years have repeatedly documented the presence of TTP networks in eastern Afghanistan, particularly in provinces bordering Pakistan, though Taliban officials have consistently denied offering any support or sanctuary.
The denial on Tuesday reflects Islamabad’s broader strategic calculus: while Pakistan has at times engaged in quiet diplomatic channels with Kabul, it has drawn a firm red line around security concerns. Officials have repeatedly warned that Pakistan retains the right to conduct operations inside Afghanistan if the Taliban fail to curb militant activities, a stance that has strained relations between the two neighbors even as both grapple with internal challenges.
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