Pakistan Reaffirms It Will Not Talk To Terrorist Groups, as the Foreign Office made it clear that while Islamabad has always been open to dialogue with any government in Kabul, it will never negotiate with banned terrorist outfits. Pakistan Reaffirms It Will Not Talk To Terrorist Groups in a strong policy statement delivered during the weekly press briefing, reinforcing Pakistan’s firm national security stance.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi stated that Pakistan has never refused dialogue with any Kabul administration. However, he made it absolutely clear that groups like the Tehreek i Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army remain enemies of the state, and Pakistan will not hold talks with any terrorist organization under any circumstances. He also confirmed that the third round of talks with the Afghan Taliban collapsed in Istanbul on November 7, while appreciating the sincere mediation efforts of Qatar and Turkiye.
The spokesperson highlighted that since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, attacks on Pakistan from Afghan soil have sharply increased. Despite losing soldiers and civilians, Pakistan has exercised remarkable restraint to prevent the situation from escalating. Andrabi said Pakistan had hoped the Taliban administration would curb cross border attacks and take firm action against the banned TTP, but instead of delivering practical steps, Kabul continued offering hollow assurances.
Pakistan maintained cooperative engagement with the Afghan Taliban in trade and humanitarian sectors, but the Taliban administration’s refusal to act against the TTP and BLA undermined trust. Andrabi stressed that any individual or authority supporting, sheltering, or financing the TTP or BLA cannot call themselves a well wisher of Pakistan. He said Pakistan remains fully committed to taking every possible measure to safeguard its territory and citizens.
He regretted that the Taliban administration is trying to present the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan as a humanitarian issue by portraying TTP and BLA militants as refugees. He clarified that this is neither a refugee matter nor a humanitarian crisis, but a deliberate attempt to hide terrorists under the disguise of displaced persons.
The spokesperson reaffirmed that Pakistan is willing to take back any Pakistani citizen residing in Afghanistan, but they must be formally handed over through official border crossings, not pushed toward the border armed with modern weapons.
He also revealed that although some elements within the Afghan Taliban prefer avoiding confrontation with Pakistan, a powerful faction receiving foreign funding is actively working to escalate tensions. By leveling baseless accusations against Pakistan, they are damaging their own credibility.
Dismissing claims about internal divisions within Pakistan over Afghan policy, Andrabi said there is complete national consensus: the Pakistani people are the primary victims of terrorism, and the armed forces are fighting tirelessly and sacrificing their lives for national security. The entire nation stands united with Pakistan’s security forces for the protection of its people and sovereignty.