Informal Taliban-Pakistan Talks In Türkiye End With Agreement

In a statement on Thursday, Pakistani army said its forces engaged a group of militants in Mohmand district, killing eight of them.

It added that in another clash in North Waziristan, five more militants attempting to cross the Afghan border were killed in an exchange of fire.

The army accused the Taliban of a complete failure to control the border, stating that these incidents once again confirm Pakistan’s consistent position that the Taliban have completely failed in effectively managing the border.

Pakistan’s military called on the Taliban to honor their commitments and prevent militants from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks in Pakistan. It also urged them to stop Afghan nationals from entering Pakistan to conduct terrorist operations.

Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Interior of Pakistan, also praised security forces for preventing militant infiltration from Afghanistan and described the militants as linked to India.

The remarks come as border tensions between the Taliban and Pakistani forces have intensified in recent weeks, with sporadic clashes continuing along the frontier.

In response to what it calls militant infiltration, Pakistan has carried out artillery strikes on parts of eastern Afghanistan, including Kunar province, which reports say have caused dozens of civilian casualties.

The Taliban, in return, have targeted positions in South Waziristan in Pakistan, leaving a number of Pakistani civilians injured.

His visit to Kabul concluded on Thursday, April 30.

The UK Foreign Office said Lindsay discussed regional stability, humanitarian access and human rights with Taliban officials during the trip.

He met senior figures including the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, and the foreign and interior ministers of the Taliban.

The Foreign Office said he also held talks with representatives of civil society.

Emphasis on Human Rights

The UK envoy stressed that inclusive governance and progress on human rights are essential to Afghanistan’s relations with the international community.

Lindsay also highlighted the importance of constructive engagement through UN-led processes and called on the Taliban to take practical steps to address international concerns over human rights, inclusive governance and counterterrorism cooperation.

He described the visit as an important opportunity for direct engagement with Taliban officials on issues of deep importance to the UK, the international community and the Afghan people.

Talks on Pakistan and Humanitarian Concerns

During the meetings, Lindsay emphasised the need to reduce tensions and resume dialogue between the Taliban and Pakistan, saying there is no sustainable military solution.

He called for the immediate reopening of border crossings to allow humanitarian aid deliveries, warning that continued restrictions could deprive more than one million women and children of access to life-saving nutrition and healthcare.

The UK Special Envoy emphasised the need for restraint and de-escalation between the Taliban and Pakistan and called for dialogue to resolve security concerns.

The British diplomat also underlined the importance of unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure life-saving assistance reaches those in need.

Conditional Support

He said the UK remains committed to supporting the Afghan people. According to Lindsay, London has allocated £151 million in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan for 2025–2026, and the country remains a priority for UK assistance.

He also mentioned that for a sustainable future in Afghanistan, the support must be conditional on allowing women to work, children to be educated, and aid to be delivered safely and impartially.

In a post on X on Thursday, April 30, the UN said partners at the meeting stressed support for vulnerable groups, including women and returnees.

The UN released two images from the event but did not specify the exact dates of the meeting or which officials and organisations attended.

A similar meeting was held last year in Istanbul over two days, where international priorities and coordination of aid to Afghanistan were discussed. The gathering is organised under the initiative of the United Nations.

Akhundzada said he would henceforth deal seriously with “disobedience” and urged officials to support his actions without mediation if enforcement begins.

He made the remarks at a recent meeting of finance ministry directors. Sources familiar with the meeting told Afghanistan International that his aim was to address administrative and financial corruption affecting some Taliban officials.

Akhundzada stressed that anyone appointed within the Taliban administration must declare all their assets at the outset and be audited upon leaving office; if their wealth exceeds their initial assets, it should be transferred to the state treasury.

He also ordered that the term “police” be replaced with “Shurta” and said a law would soon be enforced.

The Taliban leader said he forgives all past acts of disobedience “up to now” and seeks forgiveness from God for them but warned that any future violations would be dealt with.

Akhundzada added that officials should not independently establish religious schools and that any such institutions should be handed over to the education ministry, as they could otherwise create opportunities for bribery.

Many Taliban leaders have established private religious schools with hundreds of students.

He also said religious scholars must attend all “technical and non-technical” meetings, arguing that “all affairs require religion”.

Referring to reports of disobedience, he said officials must support enforcement actions without any intermediaries.

He reiterated that “my order and obedience to me are binding upon you just like the commands of God and the Prophet”, citing Quranic verses on obedience to God, the Prophet and the ruler.

The organisation said that since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have continued to enforce a wide range of laws designed to control the country’s image, suppress oversight of government and impose their own propaganda.

Afghanistan ranked 122nd in 2021 before the Taliban takeover. After taking over power, the country dropped 34 places to 156, then stood at 152 in 2023. Continued repression saw Afghanistan fall to 178 in 2024, before slightly improving to 175 last year.

Unprecedented Global Decline in Press Freedom

For the first time in the history of the index, more than half of countries are now classified as having a “difficult” or “very serious” press freedom situation.

Over the past 25 years, the average score of all countries and regions has declined.

RSF said the steady expansion of restrictive legal frameworks since 2001—particularly those linked to national security—has increasingly undermined access to information, even in democratic countries.

Five Indicators and Rising Criminalisation

The index assesses countries based on five indicators: political, legal, economic, socio-cultural and security conditions. The legal indicator saw the sharpest decline this year, reflecting the growing criminalisation of journalism worldwide.

Conditions worsened in 60% of countries (110 out of 180) between 2025 and 2026, including in countries such as India, Egypt, Israel and Georgia. Repressive laws and misuse of emergency powers have made criminalising journalism a global trend.

Rankings: Norway First, Eritrea Last

Norway has ranked first for the 10th consecutive year, while Eritrea remains last for the 13th year in a row.

Syria recorded the biggest improvement, rising 36 places following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The United States dropped several places, while countries such as Ecuador and Peru also saw significant declines.

Lowest Average Score in 25 Years

RSF said press freedom has steadily deteriorated since it began publishing the index 25 years ago. Journalists continue to be killed and imprisoned, while new methods—such as political hostility, economic pressure on media and legal tools—are increasingly used to weaken press freedom.

More than 52% of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories, compared with just 13.7% in 2002. Meanwhile, the share of the global population living in countries with “good” press freedom has dropped from about 20% to less than 1%.

Wars and Restrictions on Information

RSF said prolonged conflicts in countries such as Iraq, Sudan and Yemen are major drivers of declining press freedom.

It added that the war in Gaza since October 2023 has made the territory one of the most dangerous places for journalists, stating that “220 journalists have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli army.”

In countries such as China, North Korea and Eritrea, press freedom is constrained by political deadlock and repression, with journalists like Dawit Isaak imprisoned for over 25 years.

Eastern Europe and the Middle East have seen some of the steepest declines over the past quarter century.

RSF said Russia under Vladimir Putin remains among the worst countries for press freedom, while Iran ranks 177th due to internal repression and ongoing conflict with Israel.

Misuse of National Security Laws

RSF said that since the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, national security laws have increasingly been used to restrict reporting on public affairs. This trend, common in authoritarian regimes, is also evident in democracies, often under the guise of counterterrorism.

Even in democracies, restrictive laws are growing. In Japan, state secrecy laws limit journalism; in the Philippines, terrorism charges are used against journalists; in Hong Kong, strict national security laws have led to the imprisonment of independent publishers; in Turkiye, anti-terror laws are used to suppress media; and in Tunisia, “false information” laws are used to criminalise journalism.

“The US falling apart under Donald Trump”

RSF said that since 2022, the overall ranking of 28 countries in the Americas has declined significantly. It added that Donald Trump has made repeated attacks on the press part of a systematic policy, contributing to the US falling to 64th place.

Cuts to the US Agency for Global Media have had global consequences, leading to closures, suspensions and downsizing of outlets such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.

“Latin America in Decline”

Countries affected by organised crime and violence against journalists have seen sharp drops. Ecuador (125th) fell 31 places, while Peru (144th) was affected by the murder of four journalists.

Press freedom guarantees in Venezuela remain uncertain, while Cuba (160th) and Nicaragua (168th) continue to face deep crises and systematic repression of journalists.

Asia-Pacific

In 21 out of 32 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, press freedom is classified as “difficult” or “very serious”.

RSF said the region remains one of the most repressive, driven by legal attacks on the press, defamation laws and strict regulations. Censorship and propaganda tactics led by China are expanding beyond borders.

North Korea (179th) remains one of the most closed regimes, where independent journalism is effectively banned, while in China (178th) authorities continue to expand repressive tools.

Criminalisation from India to the Philippines

Even in more democratic settings, legal frameworks are increasingly used to silence newsrooms. In India (157th), judicial harassment of independent media is intensifying. In Pakistan (153rd), the press faces ongoing restrictions amid political tensions.

In the Philippines (114th), terrorism charges have become a preferred tool to silence journalists.

Democracies Under Pressure

Even established democracies face legal pressures. In Japan (62nd), secrecy laws contribute to self-censorship. In South Korea (47th), government efforts to counter disinformation have raised concerns among press freedom groups.

No country in the region ranks among the top 20 globally. New Zealand (22nd), despite a slight decline, remains a regional model for press freedom.