Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will not achieve stability unless the roots of terrorism are eliminated, accusing the Afghan Taliban of failing to prevent militant activities originating from Afghan soil.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sharif said the fight against terrorism is a collective national decision and vowed that his government would continue its campaign until terrorism is completely eradicated. He said militant groups continue to operate from Afghanistan despite repeated assurances from the Taliban authorities.
Trade Suspended Over Security Concerns
The prime minister said Islamabad had been forced to suspend all trade with Afghanistan because of what he described as Kabul’s inaction against terrorist groups. He said the closure of the Pakistan–Afghanistan border to trade was an unwanted but unavoidable step.
Trade across the border has been suspended since mid-October 2025 following clashes along the frontier. Several rounds of talks on counterterrorism mechanisms, including mediation efforts by Türkiye and Qatar, have failed to yield concrete results.
Sharif said the 2020 Doha agreement clearly stipulates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten other countries. He added that despite numerous meetings between officials from both sides, Pakistan’s proposals to curb militancy have not been implemented.
He also said Islamabad had expected the Taliban administration to take decisive action against militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, but said no such commitment has been demonstrated in practice.
Traders on both sides of the border, particularly in Pakistan, have repeatedly protested the prolonged closure and the suspension of cross-border trade, warning of mounting economic losses.
