Pakistan’s Defence Minister Threatens To Drive Taliban ‘Back To Tora Bora Caves’

In a statement on X, Tarar thanked Qatar and Turkiye for mediating the talks but accused the Taliban delegation of avoiding discussions on key issues.

He said Pakistan would take “all necessary measures” to protect its citizens, adding that since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Islamabad had repeatedly engaged with Kabul over cross-border terrorism particularly attacks by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and Baloch separatists.

Tarar said Pakistan had urged the Taliban administration to uphold commitments made under the Doha Agreement, both to Pakistan and the international community, but that efforts to secure cooperation had failed. He accused the Taliban of continuing to provide support and shelter to anti-Pakistan militant groups.

“We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism,” he said, adding that the government would use “all available resources to eliminate terrorists, their hideouts, facilitators, and supporters.”

The minister also warned that Pakistan’s patience had worn thin, accusing the Taliban of “dragging the Afghan people into a destructive conflict.”

He said Pakistan had presented “conclusive and verifiable evidence” of militant activity emanating from Afghan soil, but the Taliban delegation “avoided responsibility” and refused to provide assurances of action, leading to the failure of the talks.

Tarar reiterated his gratitude to Qatar and Turkiye for hosting and mediating the negotiations, saying the Taliban representatives had “verbally agreed” several times to Pakistan’s “logical and legitimate demand” for credible and decisive action against terrorist groups.

Taliban officials have not yet commented on the collapse of the talks.

The Istanbul negotiations followed a meeting between the defence ministers of Pakistan and the Taliban in Doha earlier this month, during which both sides agreed to a ceasefire and to reduce border hostilities. Technical discussions and monitoring mechanisms were deferred to the Istanbul round.

Pakistan has demanded that the Taliban prevent cross-border attacks by TTP militants and provide a written guarantee to curb further assaults on Pakistani territory.

In a statement shared on X by his son, Habibur Rahman Hekmatyar, the former Afghan prime minister criticised Pakistan’s recent threats of military action, calling on the country’s parliament and people to prevent “irresponsible statements” that could have “serious consequences.”

Hekmatyar condemned what he described as the “silence” of Pakistani lawmakers in the face of escalating rhetoric and said the current tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan were “exactly what India wants to happen.”

He said that attacks by insurgent groups in Pakistan began when NATO forces were still in Afghanistan. He alleged that the United States had allowed India to “train and support Pakistan’s armed opponents” in Afghanistan.

He said that “two Muslim neighbours are on the brink of a dangerous war,” while “millions of refugees are being expelled with humiliation and their homes bulldozed.” Hekmatyar called such actions “contrary to compassion, decency, and human ethics.”

He questioned why Pakistan’s parliament has “failed to take a clear and firm stance on this sensitive situation” and prevent further escalation.

Hekmatyar expressed hope that Islamabad would adopt a policy based on “mutual respect and non-interference” and that both countries could resolve disputes “fairly, rationally, and with patience and wisdom.”

His remarks came after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that if the ongoing talks between Islamabad and the Taliban failed, Pakistan could enter an “open war” with Afghanistan.

Taliban-affiliated media and Reuters, citing Pakistani security sources, reported on Tuesday that the Istanbul talks between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan ended without an agreement. Neither side has issued an official statement on the outcome.

Abdul Matin Qane, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, told Afghanistan’s Ariana News that “the Taliban have never bowed to any force.”

His comments followed a warning from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who said an “open war” could erupt if the ongoing peace talks between Islamabad and the Taliban failed to produce an agreement.

Negotiations between the two sides in Istanbul ended Monday after three days without any breakthrough. Pakistan has demanded that the Taliban take “specific and verifiable” action against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and said it had formally presented its position during the discussions.

The Taliban have repeatedly asserted their right to defend Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, while Islamabad insists that halting cross-border attacks and creating a monitoring mechanism to prevent Afghan soil from being used against Pakistan are key to any lasting settlement.

Taliban-run national television reported on Tuesday that “certain circles within the Pakistani army” were obstructing the negotiations. The broadcaster, quoting Taliban officials, said the administration “cannot prevent attacks inside Pakistan.”

The Taliban-controlled outlet also accused the Pakistani delegation of “incompetence,” alleging that its representatives “retreat from the negotiating table instead of presenting arguments.”

Media outlets close to the Taliban earlier reported that the Istanbul talks ended “without result.” A Pakistani security source confirmed to Reuters that the discussions had concluded without an agreement.

Neither Islamabad nor the Taliban administration has issued an official statement on the outcome.

Since the start of the Istanbul talks, both sides have repeatedly traded blame for the breakdown of the process. The Pakistani delegation reiterated its demand that the Afghan Taliban act against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, whom Islamabad accuses of launching attacks from Afghan territory.

Taliban-run national television, in its latest report, restated the group’s position that Afghanistan “cannot prevent attacks in Pakistan or represent the TTP.”

The broadcaster echoed the Taliban administration’s long-held stance that the Pakistani Taliban issue is Pakistan’s internal matter and that Kabul “will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country.”

The three-day negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Türkiye, concluded on Monday after hours of intensive discussions, but both sides reportedly failed to resolve key disputes.

A Pakistani security official told Reuters that the Taliban refused to commit to restraining the activities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). An Afghan source familiar with the talks confirmed the breakdown, saying the discussions stopped after “heated exchanges” over the issue. The Taliban delegation, the source added, insisted it had no control over the Pakistani Taliban.

Neither Islamabad nor the Taliban has issued an official statement on the outcome.

According to Afghanistan International’s Istanbul correspondent, Nargis Horakhsh, the Taliban delegation denied the presence of TTP and other militant groups in Afghanistan. In response, the Pakistani side reportedly presented photographs of slain militants carrying Afghan identity cards, along with documents showing that some bodies were repatriated to Afghanistan.

Horakhsh reported that the Taliban delegation “had no response” to the evidence presented. Mediators and host nations are also said to have urged the Taliban to address the presence of armed groups on Afghan soil to promote regional stability and good neighbourly relations.

Pakistan has long accused the Taliban of sheltering TTP militants and allowing them to operate from Afghanistan, claims supported by UN Security Council reports, which confirm the presence of TTP commanders inside the country. The Taliban have repeatedly denied these allegations.

The Taliban’s six-member delegation in Istanbul included Rahmatullah Najib, Deputy Interior Minister; Suhail Shaheen, the group’s representative in Qatar; Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban figure; Noor Ahmad Noor, First Political Director at the Foreign Ministry; Noor Rahman Nusrat, Director of Operations at the Defence Ministry; and Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The Pakistani delegation comprised seven members, including diplomats and senior intelligence officials.

The first round of talks, held earlier in Doha, was attended by the defence ministers and intelligence chiefs of both sides and resulted in a temporary ceasefire. However, Pakistan has kept the details of that accord classified, while the Taliban said it would release them once the Istanbul round concluded.

The Istanbul negotiations followed deadly border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes targeting what Islamabad claimed were TTP strongholds in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktika.

A Taliban Foreign Ministry source told Afghanistan International that Pakistan had demanded the Taliban launch operations against the TTP and officially designate it a terrorist organisation.

The source said Pakistan threatened further airstrikes inside Afghanistan if the Taliban failed to act, warning it would target any “suspicious activity” linked to the TTP.

The Taliban, however, maintained that it does not recognise the Pakistani Taliban as an organised group and considers the issue an internal matter for Pakistan. The group reiterated its pledge not to allow Afghan territory to be used against any neighbouring country.

The source added that the Taliban leadership had instructed its negotiators not to compromise on their stance, accusing Pakistan of attempting to undermine the talks.