The Taliban’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has threatened Pakistan with direct conflict, warning Islamabad not to boast about its military technology or underestimate Afghan resolve.
He urged Pakistan to learn from the experiences of the United States and Russia in Afghanistan.
In remarks directed at Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Noori said: “Do you believe that the old and the young will line up behind you?”
Noori argued that, unlike the United States and Russia, Pakistan does not enjoy geographical distance from Afghanistan, saying “the two sides are connected in Punjab and Sindh.”
His comments suggest that the Taliban consider the areas stretching from Peshawar to Attock as historically part of Afghan territory.
He warned Pakistan not to be “arrogant” about its military strength or “test the patience” of what he described as Afghanistan’s “brave nation.”
The remarks come as Taliban and Pakistani delegations hold a new round of negotiations in Istanbul, mediated by Türkiye and Qatar.
Asif had earlier warned that if the Istanbul talks fail, Islamabad may enter direct confrontation with the Taliban.
Noorullah Noori was among several senior Taliban figures arrested in Pakistan after the collapse of the group’s first regime and later transferred to the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
