Iran Moves To Convene Regional Dialogue On Taliban–Pakistan Rift

Demonstrators called for the immediate reopening of the key transit point, saying the prolonged closure has inflicted heavy losses on the economies of both Afghanistan and Pakistan and has left thousands of people unemployed. They warned that factories in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were now at risk of shutting down due to the disruption in cross-border trade.

Protesters said the closure had severely damaged the agriculture, trade and transport sectors, with Pakistan’s economy bearing the greatest losses. One participant said that even during wartime, trade routes typically remained open, adding that the current situation had driven people deeper into hunger and poverty.

The demonstrators warned that if the closure continues and economic pressures intensify, the security situation in the region is likely to deteriorate. They urged Pakistani authorities to take concrete steps to resolve the impasse and called on the Afghan Taliban to address disputes through dialogue.

Torkham and several other border crossings were closed to commercial and passenger traffic last month following deadly clashes between Pakistani forces and the Afghan Taliban. The shutdown has led to sharp increases in the price of imported goods in both countries.

Pakistani officials have previously said that under normal circumstances, the Torkham crossing alone facilitates more than US$3 million in daily trade, including about US$2 million in exports and roughly US$900,000 in imports.

Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the remarks at a press briefing, saying Moscow was prepared to take part in or mediate efforts aimed at reducing tensions and promoting long-term regional stability.

Zakharova said the growing strain between Pakistan and the Taliban was a concern not only for Russia but for the wider international community. She noted that Moscow stood with its regional partners in supporting dialogue.

Russia remains the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have previously called on Islamabad and the Taliban to continue talks, stressing that disputes should be resolved through diplomatic channels to safeguard regional security.

Moscow’s latest appeal follows the collapse of a third round of talks between Pakistan and the Taliban in Istanbul, which ended without progress.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, later said the negotiations had reached a complete deadlock and that no further talks were planned. He said the delegation’s return “empty-handed” suggested that even the mediators had lost confidence in the process.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid subsequently confirmed the failure of the Istanbul talks. In a post on X on 8 November, he said the discussions had “produced no result,” adding that the Taliban administration would not allow Afghan territory to be used against any other country.

The agency said support will now be limited to vulnerable returnees and holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.

In a statement issued on Saturday, UNHCR said worldwide financial pressures had affected its ability to deliver humanitarian aid. The agency confirmed that cash support for Afghan returnees was restricted beginning on Friday.

According to the announcement, only Afghans registered with UNHCR or holding PoR cards will be eligible for the reduced assistance. The agency acknowledged the hardships facing Afghan families and said broader support would resume if additional funding becomes available.

The reduction in aid comes as Pakistan intensifies its campaign to expel Afghan migrants, with authorities reportedly removing around 7,000 people in a single day. Human rights groups have criticised the mass deportations, and UN experts have warned of severe humanitarian consequences, urging Pakistan to adhere to its international obligations.

Iran is also deporting thousands of Afghan migrants each day. The UN Security Council has noted that efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance inside Afghanistan have become increasingly complicated as neighbouring countries continue to force out Afghan nationals.

The governor’s office said on Friday that Mukhtar, leading a delegation, visited border areas near Babrak Tana adjacent to Pakistan.

According to the statement, Mukhtar described the defence of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and population as a “sacred responsibility” and urged border personnel to perform their duties with vigilance and integrity.

The visit comes as relations between the Taliban and Pakistan reach one of their highest points of strain and mistrust. Recent talks between the two sides in Türkiye ended without progress, while trade and transit routes have been closed for more than a month with no indication of reopening.

Taliban fighters have clashed with Pakistani border forces more than 15 times over the past four years. In the second half of September 2024, relations between the Taliban and Islamabad deteriorated to their lowest level since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. In a highly unusual development, Pakistani aircraft recently entered Kabul’s airspace and struck targets in the Afghan capital.

Following the failure of negotiations, concerns have increased over the possibility of renewed border confrontations.

During the visit, he said local residents were not responsible for Pakistan’s security problems, adding that militants crossing the Durand Line were behind recent violence.

Naqvi said the primary threat to Pakistan’s security came from individuals entering the country from the Afghan side of the border. He said the attackers in both the Wana incident and the recent suicide bombing in Islamabad had come from outside Pakistan, insisting that local communities were not involved.

At least 12 people were killed and 27 wounded on Tuesday in a suicide attack near the Islamabad Judicial Complex. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility.

On Monday, gunmen attacked Wana Military College in South Waziristan, killing at least three people. Naqvi said both attacks were carried out with the involvement of Afghan nationals.

Speaking to tribal elders at the Wana campus, he said senior Pakistani officials, including himself, the foreign minister and the defence minister, had already raised the issue of cross-border militancy with the Afghan Taliban. He said Islamabad had repeatedly urged the Taliban to act against groups using Afghan territory to threaten Pakistan’s security.

Naqvi reiterated that local residents were not implicated in recent attacks, adding that none of the recent incidents had been carried out by Pakistani citizens.

In recent weeks, senior Pakistani officials and Taliban representatives have met three times in Qatar and Turkiye, though the discussions have produced no breakthrough. Pakistan has called on the Taliban to curb militant activity affecting its territory, while the Taliban argue that Pakistan’s security challenges are internal matters and that they lack the capacity to address them.

Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban government remain tense. Trade and transit routes between the two countries have been closed for more than a month, with no indication of reopening or a return to normal ties.