Border Crossings With Afghanistan To Remain Closed, Says Pak Foreign Ministry

He warned that the spread of extremism and terrorism poses a growing threat to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member countries.

Rahmon’s message was delivered on his behalf by Yusuf Rahmon, secretary of Tajikistan’s Security Council, during the third CIS conference on combating terrorism and extremism, held on Thursday, 23 October, in Dushanbe.

The Tajik president expressed concern about the spread of terrorist ideologies along CIS borders and called for joint and coordinated measures to counter extremist movements. He urged closer cooperation among intelligence and security agencies of member states to strengthen regional defences.

Rahmon also voiced alarm over the expanding narcotics trade, particularly the trafficking of synthetic drugs, which he said has become one of the main sources of financing for terrorist groups operating across the region.

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organisation established after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Its permanent members include Russia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Rahmon’s remarks coincided with the visit of a Taliban delegation to Dushanbe. On the same day, Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban-appointed governor of Balkh province, travelled to Tajikistan and held discussions with Tajik officials on security cooperation and border management.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad that the Istanbul dialogue seeks to establish a “tangible and verifiable monitoring mechanism” to curb cross-border militant activity.

Andrabi said Pakistan welcomes the agreement finalised in Doha on 19 October 2025, calling it an “important step toward ensuring regional peace and stability.” He added that Islamabad hopes the Istanbul meeting will help both sides create an effective framework to address what Pakistan views as the terror threat originating from Afghanistan.

It remains unclear which officials will represent the two sides in Istanbul. In the first round of talks, held in Doha last Saturday, Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, and Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, the Taliban’s defence minister, led their respective delegations.

The Doha talks came after several days of deadly border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces. That round, mediated by Qatar and Türkiye, ended with an agreement on a temporary ceasefire, which remains largely intact, according to Andrabi.

The Taliban has not yet issued a statement regarding the upcoming Istanbul meeting.

Andrabi expressed Pakistan’s appreciation to Qatar and Türkiye for their constructive roles in facilitating dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul, saying continued engagement was crucial to promoting regional security and stability.

Her sister, Khushi Mahtab, said Wesal was detained by police and later transferred to the Haji Camp migrant detention centre in Islamabad. The family said she now faces the risk of forced deportation to Afghanistan.

Wesal has been living in Islamabad for the past three years with her sister and brother.

Her arrest comes amid an intensified crackdown on Afghan migrants in Pakistan, as authorities continue large-scale detentions and deportations of undocumented Afghans following recent border clashes between the Taliban and the Pakistani military.

Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that Afghan women particularly artists, journalists, and activists face severe persecution under Taliban rule if returned to Afghanistan.

According to the sources, Mehsud visited Hewad Shifa Hospital, located in Qala Cha along the Kabul–Logar highway, to visit wounded members of his group. They said the hospital had previously signed a contract to treat injured TTP fighters, but terminated the agreement after the airstrike.

Hewad Shifa Hospital denied the claim, however. A hospital spokesperson told Afghanistan International: “We have no specific contract to treat the wounded; all patients come on an individual basis.”

After Pakistan’s recent airstrike on Kabul, Mehsud released a video statement showing himself in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following unconfirmed reports suggesting he had been targeted in the attack. Sources later confirmed the video was recent and filmed in Khyber district, though Mehsud’s current location remains unknown.

The same sources said the vehicle carrying Mehsud was targeted in the airstrike, but he survived.

Mehsud became the leader of the TTP in 2018 after his predecessor, Mullah Fazlullah, was killed in a US drone strike.

Following Pakistan’s airstrikes on Kabul and Paktika provinces, reports also circulated claiming that Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a senior TTP commander, had been killed. However, Afghanistan International sources confirmed that Bahadur is alive and had been residing mainly in Barmal district of Paktika province.

Bahadur, who leads the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of the TTP, belongs to the Madukhil branch of the Wazir tribe. He has also been seen in other parts of Afghanistan, including Shakardara district of Kabul in 2022.

Both Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur, key figures in the Pakistani Taliban movement, hail from Waziristan and have played central roles in sustaining the TTP and its affiliated networks. Despite a longstanding rivalry, both men continue to wage separate insurgencies against Pakistan, while maintaining close ties to the Haqqani Network, from which they reportedly receive official support.

In a statement issued on Friday, 24 October, to mark United Nations Day, UNAMA said its engagement aims to “safeguard human rights and strengthen global support for the Afghan people.” However, the mission did not specify which groups it has engaged with, at what level, or whether its dialogue includes Taliban opponents.

For the past four years, the international community and regional powers have urged the Taliban to form an inclusive government, calls the group has repeatedly ignored.

Indrika Ratwatte, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, urged renewed global solidarity, saying: “Together, let us uphold the promise of the UN Charter and work toward a peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Afghanistan.”

Situation of Women and Girls Worsening

UNAMA expressed deep concern over the continuing deterioration of conditions for women and girls under Taliban rule. It said the Taliban’s restrictions on education, employment, and public participation undermine the fundamental rights of Afghan citizens and the country’s future prospects.

The statement reaffirmed the UN’s enduring commitment to peace, security, human rights, justice, and sustainable development, noting that the organisation has stood by Afghans “through both progress and hardship”, from peacebuilding and institutional reform to life-saving humanitarian aid.

UN’s Role in Afghanistan

UNAMA said the UN’s agencies, funds, and programmes have enabled millions of Afghans to gain access to education, healthcare, clean water, and livelihoods. It underscored the UN’s crucial role in protecting the rights of women and girls and its ongoing principled engagement to support Afghanistan’s recovery.

However, the mission warned that Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remains among the world’s most severe, with roughly two-thirds of the population in need of assistance. Declining donor funding, it said, threatens the delivery of essential services. The statement also highlighted how the return of millions of migrants and the impacts of climate change have further deepened Afghans’ vulnerability.

Georgette Gagnon, the UN Deputy Special Representative and head of UNAMA, said Afghanistan cannot achieve lasting stability and development on its own. “This 80th anniversary reminds us of the power and necessity of multilateralism and collective action,” she said.

“Regional cooperation, international engagement, and a shared commitment to dialogue and diplomacy are essential,” Gagnon added. “The United Nations remains a vital platform for bringing nations together to address common challenges and support the aspirations of the Afghan people.”

UNAMA reaffirmed that, under its Security Council mandate, it will continue to engage with all Afghan stakeholders to promote inclusive governance, protect human rights, and strengthen international support for Afghanistan.

The United Nations was formally established on 24 October 1945, following the ratification of its Charter by founding members. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was created in March 2002 through a Security Council resolution, with a mandate to coordinate international support for peace and reconstruction in the country.