The Taliban governor’s office in Herat says imports from Iran via the Khaf–Herat railway have increased fivefold compared with last year. The office added that up to 2,000 tons of goods now transported daily along the route.
According to Taliban-run media citing the governor’s office, cargo unloading operations take place each day at Herat’s Rozanak station.
Last week, Afghanistan received its first shipment of diesel through the railway, while a second consignment of oil is expected to arrive later this week.
The Taliban said the expansion of trade through the Khaf–Herat railway underscores Afghanistan’s growing role as a vital commercial link between Asia and Europe.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described recent remarks by the Taliban’s spokesperson as “malicious and misleading,” saying the Taliban regime is responsible for the continued oppression of ethnic groups, women, and minorities in Afghanistan.
Asif said the Taliban does not represent Afghanistan and is plagued by internal divisions and factionalism.
His comments came after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership follow different agendas, alleging that while the civilian government seeks improved ties with Kabul, the military works to undermine them.
In a post on X, Asif wrote that on the malicious and misleading comments made by the Afghan spokesperson, let it be categorically stated that there exists complete unanimity of views among all Pakistanis, including the country’s political and military leadership, regarding Pakistan’s security policies and its comprehensive approach toward Afghanistan.
He said the people of Pakistan, particularly those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are well aware of the Taliban regime’s “treacherous support for terrorism” allegedly backed by India.
Asif added that, four years after taking power, the Taliban regime has yet to honour the commitments it made to the international community. He added that the regime now attempts to mask its lack of cohesion, stability, and governance capacity through rhetoric and by serving as a proxy for external elements.
The defence minister also accused the Taliban of suppressing fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, education, and political representation.
Asif reaffirmed that Pakistan’s policy on protecting its citizens from cross-border terrorism and the ideology of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains unified and consistent.
Thousands of Afghans flooded the streets of Kabul on Saturday to celebrate the national under-17 futsal team’s victory at the 2025 Asian Youth Games.
The celebrations began early in the morning and continued late into the night, with fireworks, cheering crowds, and dancing across the capital.
The team received a hero’s welcome upon arrival at Kabul International Airport, where residents gathered to greet the young champions.
Following the airport ceremony, the players travelled to Ghazi Stadium in central Kabul before heading to Dasht-e-Barchi in the west of the city.
Footage obtained by Afghanistan International showed tens of thousands of people including many women waving flags and chanting in support of the national team in Dasht-e-Barchi.
As night fell, fireworks lit up the Kabul skyline in celebration of the victory.
Afghanistan’s under-17 futsal team defeated Iran in the final match to claim the championship trophy, marking one of the country’s most celebrated sporting achievements in recent years.
Pakistan deported more than 10,000 Afghan migrants to Afghanistan in a single day through the Chaman–Spin Boldak crossing, Geo News reported on Saturday, citing official Pakistani sources.
According to the report, 10,700 Afghans were expelled as part of Islamabad’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants.
Pakistan also briefly reopened the Torkham border crossing on Saturday exclusively for deportations, denying passage to commercial convoys and patients, the outlet said.
Qari Zahid, the Taliban’s border official at Torkham, confirmed that Pakistan reopened the crossing only for deportations. He said the process began on Saturday with the expulsion of about 1,400 families, roughly 8,000 people.
The border crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan had been closed following recent clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces, which left trade and travel suspended for several days.
Pakistan has intensified deportations in recent weeks, forcing thousands of Afghan nationals many of whom had lived in the country for decades to return to Afghanistan amid rising tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan’s military of fuelling instability to enable a United States return to Bagram Air Base, claiming that Islamabad’s recent actions are aimed at creating chaos.
Mujahid said Pakistan’s airstrikes on Kabul, the failure of peace talks, and repeated threats show that Islamabad is “seeking a crisis so the US can easily come back.”
In an interview with Khyber TV, Mujahid alleged that while the United States “wants to reclaim Bagram,” Pakistan is simultaneously bombing Afghan territory, violating Afghan sovereignty, and undermining peace efforts. He said these actions show Pakistan is “muddying the waters to catch fish.”
He added that under such conditions, the ceasefire cannot be trusted, arguing that “one side has no independence and merely implements others’ policies.” Mujahid maintained that Pakistan’s military is “laying the groundwork” for an American return to Afghanistan.
Civil–Military Divide
Mujahid claimed Pakistan’s civilian and military leaderships are pursuing separate agendas. According to him, the civilian government wants to improve relations with Kabul, while the military establishment seeks to sabotage those ties.
He accused Islamabad of contradictory policies, saying it sends special envoys to Kabul while at the same time launching airstrikes on Afghan soil.
The Taliban spokesperson also condemned Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan refugees, saying authorities are forcibly deporting migrants while closing border crossings such as Torkham. He described these actions as irrational and unprecedented, claiming that Pakistan shuts crossings at the slightest incident, which he said shows the limits of its power.
Mujahid stressed that the Taliban does not trust Pakistan’s assurances or commitments.
Border Control and Security
Addressing the upcoming talks in Türkiye, Mujahid said Pakistan has asked the Taliban to prevent militant attacks inside its territory, a demand he described as beyond the group’s capacity. Still, he said, the Taliban remains committed to curbing any attacks on Pakistan from Afghan soil.
He added that securing the Afghan–Pakistani border is extremely difficult because of its rugged terrain and dense forests, noting that effective control requires major financial resources. “Even the US and Pakistan,” he said, “have failed to fully secure the frontier.”
Mujahid emphasised that border security is Pakistan’s responsibility, though the Taliban is ready to cooperate if Islamabad shares intelligence information.
He also denied the presence of TTP leaders including Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur inside Afghanistan, and criticised Pakistan’s defence minister for making threatening remarks during the Istanbul talks.
“Afghans should never be spoken to in the language of threats,” Mujahid warned.
Police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said on Saturday that four people, including three Afghan nationals, were killed in an armed confrontation during an operation in Peshawar.
According to a police statement, the men were long wanted and allegedly involved in a series of armed robberies. Police said they acted on intelligence about a “gang of robbers,” but the suspects opened fire when officers arrived at the scene. The police returned fire, killing all four.
Authorities said the group had been operating since 2003, often using police uniforms to carry out robberies. In one of their most recent incidents, the suspects reportedly stole millions of rupees in cash and jewellery from a doctor’s home.
Masood Ahmad Bangash, a senior Peshawar police officer, told Geo News that the identities of the four men had been confirmed, and three were Afghan nationals. He said the group was wanted by police in Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Nowshera, and had committed two major robberies in recent days.
Police said they recovered several weapons, including AK-47 rifles, two pistols and multiple motorcycles, from the scene.
The Taliban’s embassy in Pakistan has not yet commented on the deaths of the Afghan citizens.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan over security issues. Earlier this week, the Taliban announced the arrest of two Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan’s Baghlan province on charges of robbery.
