Will Not Allow 'Proxy War' In Afghanistan, Says Taliban’s Deputy Foreign Minister

Despite having suppressed numerous civil movements in Afghanistan over the past three years, the Taliban cautioned that refusing to negotiate could exacerbate the situation further.

In a statement released on Sunday, 6th October, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over the ongoing tensions between the Pakistani government and its political opponents. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry, shared a message on the social media platform X, stating that the group is closely monitoring the current situation in Pakistan.

The Taliban called on the Pakistani government to approach the grievances of the protesters in a “reasonable” and “realistic” manner.

The demonstrations in Islamabad, supporting Imran Khan, were organised following a call from the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi for over a year.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, alleged that Afghan citizens were involved in the protests, with 120 arrested so far. PTI officials have denied these claims.

While the Taliban now encourages dialogue in Pakistan, the group has violently suppressed numerous peaceful civil movements in Afghanistan in recent years. Hundreds of civil activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents have been imprisoned under their regime.

Human rights organisations have reported that many of the Taliban’s opponents have faced violence in detention, with some dying under torture in Taliban prisons during the past three years.

In a statement, the government explained that the movement’s activities are deemed a threat to national peace and security. The statement shared with the media read: “The Federal Government, having reasons to believe that the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is engaged in activities prejudicial to the peace and security of the country.”

Invoking Section 11B of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the government has moved to ban the PTM and prohibit its operations.

The PTM is a well-known movement advocating for the rights of Pashtuns in Pakistan. It has long protested against what it calls discrimination and unlawful actions by the Pakistani military, accusing the Army of committing human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Pashtun tribal areas.

According to these sources, Pakistani forces opened fire as the Taliban were constructing facilities along the Durand Line, the contentious border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The clash took place in the Noshak and Gaznal areas of Shorabak and lasted for approximately 15 minutes. No official statement has been released by the Taliban regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, the Taliban’s 205th Corps in Kandahar has reportedly established security checkpoints along the Durand Line, extending from Shorabak district to Zabul. While the Taliban assert that these checkpoints are intended to enhance security, there are reports that Pakistani border guards have been obstructing their construction.

This latest incident adds to a series of clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces over the past three years. These confrontations, which have occurred at various border crossings and other points along the border, have frequently led to the closure of shared crossings, resulting in significant financial losses for traders on both sides.

However, officials from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have denied any Afghan involvement in the demonstrations.

During a press conference on Saturday, Naqvi revealed that over 100 Afghan nationals had been identified and detained over the past two days during the protests in the capital. He expressed surprise at their participation, stating, “If the protesters are our own people, why are Afghans among them?”

In response, Muhammad Ali Saif, Information Adviser for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dismissed these allegations, describing them as “propaganda.” He stressed that only PTI workers had participated in the protests and labelled Naqvi’s press conference as baseless.

The protests, led by Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a senior PTI member, resulted in clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement. Reports indicate that at least 80 police officers were injured during the confrontations.

The Interior Minister further alleged that protesters, under Gandapur’s leadership, had opened fire on police personnel during the unrest.

He urged the Taliban to implement the recommendations outlined in the statement, particularly in combating terrorist groups that have sought refuge within Afghanistan.

The joint statement, released by representatives of countries participating in the Moscow Consultative Format, expressed deep concern over the presence of terrorist and separatist groups in Afghanistan. The representatives emphasised that these groups continue to pose a significant threat to both regional and global security, particularly in relation to the ongoing terrorist activity.

The Moscow Consultative Format meeting was held on Friday, 4th October, with participation from representatives of Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Taliban.

Durrani expressed optimism that the Taliban would heed the recommendations made by the participating nations.