Islamabad has stepped up diplomatic and security pressure on Kabul, Economic Times reported, citing growing tensions over border attacks, militants, and regional instability.
Pakistan has intensified pressure on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities following a series of security and diplomatic developments, including Washington’s suspension of Afghan refugee cases and recent deadly border attacks in Central Asia.
Pakistan has accused the Taliban of failing to prevent militant activity, with officials telling the Economic Times that Kabul bears responsibility for rising regional insecurity.
Islamabad has also blamed the Taliban for two recent cross-border attacks into Tajikistan, and officials have reportedly sought to create diplomatic distance between Kabul and Dushanbe. Pakistan’s military claimed last week that Afghanistan territory is being used to facilitate militant infiltration and attacks inside Pakistan.
Kabul, however, denies any involvement and has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the incidents.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated sharply in recent months amid recurring Pakistani allegations that the Taliban harbor members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). A temporary ceasefire was agreed last month, but its future appears uncertain.
Reports say Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghan migrants is part of a broader multi-layered strategy to pressure the Taliban. Since 2023, an estimated 1.5 million Afghans have been expelled, with thousands more forced out each week.
Recent diplomatic efforts to mediate between Kabul and Islamabad in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, where both siders have held indirect talks, have failed once again. While both mediation tracks emphasized de-escalation and counterterrorism cooperation, no breakthrough has been announced.
Despite growing international involvement, analysts say it remains unclear whether regional pressure or negotiations will shift Taliban policies or deepen Afghanistan’s isolation as security tensions continue to rise.
