Taliban Permissive Toward Foreign Terrorists, Threatens Region, Say UN Experts

Residents told Afghanistan International that Pakistani authorities shut the crossing to pressure Afghans into obtaining visas for entry. The closure has sparked concern among local travellers, particularly those seeking urgent medical treatment in Pakistan.

Neither Pakistani nor Taliban officials have commented publicly on the move.

Local sources said that, until now, patients were permitted to cross the border using a “temporary travel pass.” It remains unclear whether the current closure extends to commercial vehicles or trade-related transport.

Pakistan has previously closed the Ghulam Khan crossing entirely for several days, halting all movement, including trade and humanitarian access.

In late June, Taliban officials in Khost announced a similar closure, stating that Pakistan had shut the crossing without providing a reopening date. At the time, authorities advised citizens, traders and travellers to avoid the Ghulam Khan route and seek alternative border points.

Located in the Gurbuz district in southwestern Khost, the Ghulam Khan crossing is the third most significant border checkpoint between Afghanistan and Pakistan, after Chaman and Torkham. It lies in a mountainous area adjacent to Pakistan’s North Waziristan district, a region often affected by security concerns.

Pakistan periodically shuts border crossings with Afghanistan due to political tensions, trade disputes, or security operations, frequently disrupting travel and commerce between the two countries.

The new tariff structure was published just hours before the 1 August deadline for trade negotiations and agreements with foreign governments.

Under the updated policy, countries with a trade deficit with the United States, including Afghanistan, will now face a base tariff rate of 15 percent. The previous 10 percent rate will remain in place only for countries that maintain a trade surplus with the US

In 2024, the total value of US-Afghanistan goods trade is estimated at $34 million. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, US exports to Afghanistan fell sharply in 2024, totalling $11.4 million, a 76.9 percent decline from $38.2 million, compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, US imports from Afghanistan rose to $22.6 million in 2024, an increase of 13.2 percent from the previous year.

This shift led to a reversal in the trade balance between the two countries, moving from a $29.7 million US surplus in 2023 to an $11.1 million deficit in 2024.

In a statement released late Thursday, 31 July, the AFF said the assault took place in the Chilston area of Kabul’s Police District 7. The group claimed that three Taliban fighters were killed and two members of the Taliban’s so-called morality police were wounded.

According to the AFF, the Taliban personnel at the checkpoint had been stopping vehicles and harassing civilians, prompting the targeted operation.

The Taliban authorities have not commented on the incident. The group frequently remains silent or denies claims of attacks by armed opposition groups.

The AFF said the attack was part of its ongoing operations to “defend and protect the rights, dignity, and social presence of Afghan women.” It reiterated its position that Taliban morality police are “legitimate military targets” due to their role in the repression of women.

The Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has come under growing criticism in recent weeks for detaining dozens of women and girls across Kabul. The arrests have drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations, civil society groups, and Afghan citizens both inside and outside the country.

The hearings will be held in Madrid from 8 to 10 October in collaboration with the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, and will include participation from international judges, prosecutors and subject-matter experts. Organisers say the tribunal seeks to hold the Taliban morally and politically accountable, even though it lacks legal enforcement powers.

In a joint statement, the organisers said, that by holding the People’s Tribunal for Afghan Women, Afghan civil society and women’s rights groups are opening another avenue for justice and accountability for Taliban crimes.

The tribunal aims to document widespread human rights violations and provide evidence that may support future international legal action. Although it cannot issue arrest warrants, its findings will be submitted to international courts such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has already initiated preliminary investigations into Taliban crimes, including gender-based persecution.
Civil society organisations behind the initiative stressed that while arrest warrants for Taliban leaders are significant, they are not sufficient on their own. The tribunal, they said, underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive, victim-centred approach to transitional justice in Afghanistan.

Concerns Over International Normalisation of Taliban Rule

The announcement comes amid growing concern about the international community’s shifting posture toward the Taliban. Russia recently became the first permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to recognise the Taliban government. China and several regional powers have also deepened engagement with the group. While many European countries continue to condemn human rights violations in Afghanistan, some have maintained “technical contact” with the Taliban, particularly in the context of deporting Afghan asylum seekers.

The organisers of the tribunal warned that such engagement risks legitimising the Taliban despite their continued oppression of women.

Shaharzad Akbar, head of the Rawadari organisation and one of the tribunal’s organisers, told Afghanistan International that the initiative aims to counter the growing trend of political normalisation. “This tribunal is an Afghan-led effort to begin an independent justice process, rather than waiting for international institutions to act,” she said.

Akbar noted that as the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power approaches, Afghanistan has fallen off the global agenda, raising fears that the ongoing crisis, particularly for women, could be ignored.

She added that the tribunal will serve as a platform for Afghan women to directly participate in justice processes, share their personal testimonies, and amplify the voices of victims of war and gender-based violence.

Formal Accusations and Global Participation

Four Afghan prosecutors with experience in international justice and gender-based violence have been appointed to draft formal indictments. A joint team of Afghan and international experts is collecting documentation and evidence against the Taliban.

The hearings will be public and livestreamed, with an international judicial panel presiding. A final verdict is expected to be issued in December.

The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, a co-organiser of the event, is a Rome-based independent body that has previously convened hearings around the world on major human rights violations, including crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.

Other civil society organisations involved in organising the tribunal include Rawadari, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation, and the Human Rights Defenders Forum.

The demonstrators, many of whom fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, say they will continue their protest until authorities respond to their concerns.

The protest initially began in Islamabad’s F-6 district but was relocated to the G-6 area after police intervened and dispersed the crowd.

Ahmad Zia Faiz, one of the protest participants, told Afghanistan International that their aim is to stop the forced return of Afghans who fled for safety after the fall of the previous Afghan government.

“Pakistan has stopped renewing visas, and police arrest and deport hundreds of Afghans daily,” he said. “These people face serious threats in Afghanistan. We will continue our protest until this process is stopped.”

Faiz added that there is credible evidence that some deported individuals have faced threats and persecution by the Taliban upon their return.

Another protester, Diba Farahmand, said: “Today is the third day of our protest, but we will continue until our demands are met. The Pakistani government must find a proper solution for Afghan migrants, as these deportations are dangerous.”

In a statement issued by the group, the protesters called on the United Nations and international organisations to take urgent action. They asserted that refugees have the right to live in safety and should not be forcibly returned to countries where their lives are at risk.

One protester, Mehrin Mohammadi, was arrested by Islamabad police on Thursday, 31 July. In a voice message shared with Afghanistan International, she confirmed her detention while participating in the march.

Afghan migrants in Pakistan say the country’s immigration authorities have halted visa renewals, leaving thousands in legal limbo. They also report increasing incidents of arbitrary arrests and deportations.