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He described the move as a violation of existing protocols, emphasising that Pakistan seeks to resolve the issue through dialogue.

During a press briefing in Islamabad on Friday, Khan confirmed that Pakistan had formally raised concerns with Taliban officials and urged them to settle the matter through negotiations.

The Pakistani government has assigned various national institutions the task of jointly managing the borders to prevent unilateral actions that could compromise regional security. Pakistan insists that any establishment of a new border checkpoint must be mutually agreed upon through diplomatic discussions.

“We have informed Afghan authorities that this issue can be resolved through proper discussions,” Khan said.

Despite ongoing discussions, the Torkham border crossing remains closed for the eighth consecutive day since last Friday, following Pakistan’s decision to enforce the shutdown.

Pakistani media reports indicate that multiple rounds of negotiations between Taliban and Pakistani border officials have failed to reach an agreement on reopening the crossing.

Meanwhile, Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the Taliban commissioner at Torkham, stated two days after the closure that Pakistan had shut the border gate in response to construction activities on the Afghan side.

At the time, he said: “We have asked the Pakistanis to explain their reasons for closing the gate and to reopen the route, but they have not responded to our request yet.”

The prolonged closure has had severe economic repercussions, with Pakistani officials estimating losses of around $12 million for traders. Reports also indicate that the shutdown has exacerbated transportation issues, leaving many traders and travellers stranded.

Torkham is a vital trade corridor, with an estimated 700 to 800 trucks crossing daily, in addition to 4,000 to 5,000 passengers travelling through the route.

The border has been frequently shut down in the past due to rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan. However, the current closure is reportedly inflicting substantial economic losses on both traders and passengers.

According to the report, the two sides agreed to hold a new round of China-Russia strategic security talks at an appropriate time, though details of their discussions on Afghanistan have not yet been disclosed.

Like other countries, Russia and China have not officially recognised the Taliban government. However, both nations maintain extensive diplomatic and economic ties with the group.

Shoigu previously visited Kabul in November 2024, where he held separate meetings with the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Ministers for Economic and Political Affairs, as well as the Ministers of Defence and Interior.

During his trip to China, Shoigu also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Russian media outlets have reported that Moscow and Beijing share aligned perspectives on key international issues. Shoigu emphasised that political and strategic trust between the two countries remains high and that their relationship is unaffected by external pressures.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, declared on Friday that the agreement served a specific purpose at a particular time and no longer holds significance for the group.

Speaking on Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), Mujahid stressed that the Taliban now governs Afghanistan independently, adhering to its own principles rather than the terms outlined in the Doha Agreement.

Signed on 29 February 2020 after 18 months of negotiations in Doha, Qatar, the agreement facilitated the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces from Afghanistan, ending two decades of conflict. Following the U.S. exit, the Afghan government collapsed, enabling the Taliban to seize power through military conquest.

In his Friday interview, Mujahid stated: “The Doha Agreement was for a particular phase, and afterwards, the Islamic Emirate assumed control. We no longer operate under this agreement; instead, we follow our own governance principles. The deal was with the Americans and concluded at that point.”

He highlighted that the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the Taliban’s pledge to prevent Afghan soil from being used against the U.S. were the agreement’s core elements.

“U.S. Failed to Fulfil Commitments”

Mujahid asserted that the Taliban has upheld its obligations, including the withdrawal of foreign forces and ensuring Afghanistan does not threaten U.S. security. However, he accused the U.S. of failing to meet its commitments, pointing to ongoing sanctions on Taliban leaders and a lack of diplomatic engagement. He urged the U.S. to honour its side of the bargain.

Late in 2024, the U.S. alleged that the Taliban had breached critical aspects of the Doha Agreement. Negotiated over 18 months, the agreement was formalised by Mullah Baradar for the Taliban and Zalmay Khalilzad for the U.S. It encompassed four key points: the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the Taliban’s commitment to cut ties with terrorist groups, the launch of intra-Afghan negotiations, and the establishment of a ceasefire.

On 12 December 2024, the U.S. State Department’s annual terrorism report claimed that the Taliban continues to shelter al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and permits the Pakistani Taliban to operate within its borders. Both groups are designated as terrorist organisations by the United States, and under the Doha Agreement, the Taliban was obliged to sever ties with them—a commitment the U.S. contends has not been fulfilled.

After signing the agreement, the Taliban refused to engage in talks with the former Afghan government and pursued a military campaign to capture cities.

While Mujahid insists the Doha Agreement is obsolete for the Taliban, he has called on the U.S. to lift sanctions on Taliban leaders.

According to a United Nations sanctions monitoring report dated 8 July 2024, 61 Taliban officials remain under international sanctions, including 35 cabinet members and senior figures. Notable sanctioned individuals include Prime Minister Mullah Hassan, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi, and Minister of Refugees Abdul Kabir. Key cabinet members such as Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, and others—including Ministers of Hajj, Information and Culture, Borders and Tribal Affairs, Civil Aviation, Economy, Public Works, Telecommunications, Urban Development, Energy and Water, Mines and Petroleum, and the head of the Taliban’s central bank, Noor Ahmad Agha—are also listed.

These individuals face travel bans outside Afghanistan without UN Security Council approval, and their overseas assets are frozen.

In December 2024, the UN Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of its sanctions monitoring team for another year, a decision supported by all 15 permanent and rotating members.

On Friday, the AFF announced that the attack took place on Thursday evening in the Golayi Bandar Khanabad area of Kunduz, killing four Taliban fighters and injuring two others.

Local sources told Afghanistan International that a powerful explosion occurred at around 9:30 PM local time in the provincial capital. According to these sources, the target of the attack was a Taliban military vehicle.

In a statement, the AFF said its forces ambushed the Taliban convoy as it was heading towards the village of Rustaq Abad on the outskirts of Kunduz city for a house-to-house search operation.

Taliban officials have yet to comment on the incident.

The AFF was established on 28 February 2022, shortly after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan.

On the third anniversary of its founding, the group claimed it had conducted 87 targeted attacks against the Taliban in the past year alone. According to its statement, these operations resulted in the deaths of 229 Taliban fighters and commanders, with 166 others wounded.

Since its formation, the AFF claims to have killed 821 Taliban fighters and injured 868 others across Afghanistan.

On Friday, Wright posted photographs from Kabul and Herat on her social media accounts, showcasing various scenes from these cities. The images feature Ariana Airlines, a tiled rooftop in Herat, a shopfront, and several vehicles, though Wright herself does not appear in any of the pictures.

Afghanistan International reached out to Wright to enquire about the precise timing and purpose of her visit but has yet to receive a reply.

The Taliban, likewise, has remained silent on the matter.

Despite the Taliban's restrictive policies towards Afghan women, the group has extended numerous accommodations to foreign male and female tourists, seemingly to promote a "positive image" of their regime globally.

Notably, earlier reports highlighted intimate photographs of Taliban members alongside Chinese female tourists, which had previously captured public attention.