No Talks Will Be Held With Taliban, Says Pakistan PM’s Office

Pakistan has not publicly indicated any readiness to enter negotiations.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, and Zabihullah Mujahid reiterated the group’s stated commitment to diplomacy, saying the path to talks remains open.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, also told Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi of Qatar that the Taliban do not support violence and prefer to resolve issues through mutual understanding and respect.

Speaking at a mosque in Khost Province on Friday, Haqqani urged Pakistan not to take actions that would force the Taliban to declare what he described as a national uprising and jihad. He warned that Pakistan would face serious consequences if such a step were taken and called on regional and international countries to help reduce tensions and facilitate dialogue.

At a separate news conference, Mujahid warned that continued clashes could destabilise the region. He called on neighbouring countries to prevent further Pakistani military attacks and said Islamabad had shown no willingness to resolve disputes through negotiations.

Hamdullah Fitrat, a deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, alleged that Pakistani forces deliberately targeted civilians in Khost Province and Paktika Province, killing 19 people and wounding 26 others, most of them women and children.

In response, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, said at least 274 Afghan militants were killed in Pakistan’s strikes. He said 73 Taliban posts were destroyed and 18 others seized, with more than 400 people wounded. He also claimed that at least 115 Taliban tanks and armoured vehicles were destroyed.

Pakistan has confirmed that 12 of its soldiers were killed in the clashes. Mujahid, however, claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in recent border fighting and that some of their bodies were in Taliban custody. He also confirmed that 13 Taliban fighters were killed.

The escalation has prompted diplomatic efforts by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkiye to reduce tensions and encourage talks. China and Russia have also expressed readiness to mediate.

It remains unclear whether regional efforts will succeed in ending the fighting, but relations between the Taliban and Pakistan appear to remain highly strained.

Pakistan has said it will no longer tolerate threats emanating from Afghan territory, while the Taliban have warned they will respond to any further attacks.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Chaudhry said Pakistani forces destroyed 73 Taliban posts and seized control of 18 others.

He added that more than 400 militants were wounded in the attacks.

Chaudhry also said at least 115 Taliban tanks and other armoured military vehicles were destroyed.

During a meeting with senior military officials, Sharif said Islamabad would not accept what he characterised as cooperation between the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

He described the actions of the Afghan Taliban and the TTP as unacceptable and said Pakistan would respond firmly to any threats.

Sharif met with Asim Munir and other members of the military leadership. He said the entire nation stood alongside the country’s armed forces.

The army chief briefed the prime minister on the latest developments in the ongoing clashes.

Speaking on Friday at the grand mosque in Khost Province, Haqqani said that if such an uprising were declared against Pakistan, the country would face serious consequences.

He said the Taliban would not stand aside but would be on the front lines alongside the people in defence of Afghanistan.

Haqqani also called on regional and international actors to help facilitate dialogue, saying the door to negotiations remained open.

In another part of his speech, he stressed the importance of unity and cohesion among Taliban members.

Referring to reported drone attacks in Islamabad, Mujahid said Pakistan had realised that Afghans could strike back. He claimed Taliban drone strikes on Islamabad, Nowshera and Abbottabad were successfully conducted.

He also alleged that Pakistani reconnaissance aircraft were operating in Afghan airspace and said Pakistani fighter jets carried out strikes on Friday in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Kunar. According to Mujahid, civilians were harmed in those attacks.

Speaking at an online news conference on Friday, Mujahid warned that further escalation would undermine regional stability and called on neighbouring countries to halt what he described as Pakistan’s military aggression.

While emphasising the group’s stated commitment to diplomacy, he said Pakistan was unwilling to resolve the dispute through dialogue. He rejected Pakistani officials’ assertions that civilians had not been targeted and claimed Taliban forces had struck military sites with precision.

Mujahid also dismissed allegations by Pakistani officials that the Taliban were engaged in proxy warfare on behalf of India, saying the group had no history of acting as a proxy force. He accused Pakistan of pursuing foreign-backed projects aimed at destabilising the region.

He claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in border clashes the previous day and said the bodies of some were in Taliban custody. Mujahid added that 13 Taliban fighters were also killed in the fighting.