Pakistan Fears Strong, Independent Afghan Government, Says Taliban Minister
Pakistan does not want to see a strong or self-reliant Afghan government, regardless of who leads it, according to a senior Taliban official.
Pakistan does not want to see a strong or self-reliant Afghan government, regardless of who leads it, according to a senior Taliban official.
Abdul Latif Mansoor, the Taliban’s Minister of Energy and Water, accused Pakistan of opposing any form of stable central authority in Afghanistan, whether under the Taliban, Mujahideen, or even Communists.
Speaking in an interview with Shamshad TV on Thursday, Mansoor said: “Some of our neighbours, especially Pakistan, do not want a government in Afghanistan, it doesn’t matter if it’s Taliban, Mujahid, or Communist.”
He added: “We now understand that Pakistan doesn’t want an Afghan government that stands on its own feet.”
Mansoor accused Islamabad of deliberately fuelling internal divisions and crises in Afghanistan to serve its own political and economic interests.
Responding to Pakistan’s repeated claims that the Taliban are sheltering militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mansoor did not deny the group’s presence in Afghanistan but said that any TTP centres in the country predated Taliban rule.
He insisted that Afghanistan is not being used as a base for attacks on neighbouring states. “Afghan soil is not being used against neighbouring or regional countries,” he said.
The Taliban official also claimed that TTP fighters themselves admit to operating from Pakistan’s tribal regions. “Instead of accusing Afghanistan, Pakistan should look for them in the tribal areas,” he added.
Tensions Easing After Two Years of Strained Ties
Mansoor’s comments come at a time of cautious rapprochement between the Taliban and Islamabad, following two years of heightened tensions and mutual accusations , especially over the TTP issue.
Recently, Pakistan’s foreign and interior ministers visited Kabul for talks with senior Taliban officials. Discussions reportedly focused on security cooperation, the TTP, and expanding economic ties. Both sides also agreed to elevate diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial level.
Meanwhile, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was expected to visit Pakistan, but the United Nations Security Council did not grant him travel permission.
