Pakistan Minister Calls PTI a ‘Branch’ of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

According to the UN secretary-general’s latest report on children and armed conflict, the Taliban recruited and used 557 boys during the same period, including children as young as 12.

Cases of child recruitment increased by 81 per cent compared with the previous reporting period, and all verified cases were attributed to the Taliban.

Around 80 per cent of child casualties were caused by explosive devices. The UN warned that unexploded ordnance and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a serious threat to children in Afghanistan.

The report verified a total of 4,582 grave violations against children. This represented a 38 per cent decrease compared with the previous reporting period, but the UN stressed that the decline did not indicate an overall improvement in the situation of children.

Most verified violations were attributed to the Taliban, followed by unidentified perpetrators.

Increase in obstruction of humanitarian aid

During the reporting period, 2,241 incidents involving the denial of humanitarian access were recorded, an increase of 189 per cent compared with the previous period. This was the most frequently documented violation.

The report also recorded 338 attacks on schools and hospitals, including 163 attacks on schools and 175 on hospitals.

The UN verified 24 cases of sexual violence against children, involving eight boys and 16 girls.

Seven children, two boys and five girls, were also abducted during the reporting period, with all of those cases attributed to the Taliban.

Restrictions and their impact on children

The report said Taliban restrictions on women and girls, including the ban on girls’ education beyond sixth grade, the morality law and restrictions on women working for humanitarian organisations and the United Nations, had disrupted the delivery of essential services and affected children.

Virginia Gamba, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for children and armed conflict, called on all parties to take every possible measure to protect children and to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

She also called on the Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on women and girls, align the definition of a child with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and allow the United Nations unhindered access to detention facilities.

During the same period, 576 boys in northern and north-eastern Afghanistan were separated from Taliban ranks and enrolled in reintegration programmes.

Imtiaz Gul, head of Pakistan’s Centre for Research and Security Studies, wrote in an article published by The Express Tribune on Saturday, 10 October, that recent remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the Taliban administration and its fight against ISIS had raised serious questions about Moscow’s objectives.

He said Lavrov told participants at the Moscow Format meeting on 5 October that they should acknowledge that the Taliban administration had successfully governed the country. Lavrov also praised Taliban security forces for fighting ISIS and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

Gul said Russia had in July referred to ISIS as “Islamic State-Khorasan Province” and described it as a threat based in Afghanistan. However, he said Lavrov did not use that term on 6 October and instead described the Pakistani branch of ISIS as a group carrying out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to Gul, this apparent shift strengthens the Taliban’s narrative about ISIS activity in the region. The Taliban claims ISIS centres are in Pakistan and are used to conduct operations against neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan.

He questioned whether Moscow’s decision to move away from the term “Khorasan Province” and adopt language closer to the Taliban’s narrative was coincidental or part of a broader change in Russia’s calculations towards Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Gul also pointed to Lavrov’s opposition to the deployment of NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, arguing that Moscow remains deeply concerned about a renewed Western military presence in the region.

He suggested that by moving closer to the Taliban, Russia could be sending a political message to the United States and Pakistan. According to Gul, Moscow may be prepared to assist Kabul in countering threats if Washington and Islamabad support armed groups opposed to the Taliban.

The Pakistani security analyst also cited Russia’s allegations that ammunition had been supplied from Pakistan to Ukraine as another possible factor in Moscow’s changing calculations. He wrote that Russia may now see Pakistan as aligned with the US- and European-led coalition supporting Ukraine.

Gul questioned whether these changes in relations between Russia, the Taliban and Pakistan could also explain why the latest Moscow Format meeting ended without a joint statement or a significant outcome.

Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have become increasingly strained in recent months. Both sides accuse each other of supporting armed groups, while clashes along the border have also increased.

Russia is the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban administration. Moscow has expanded its ties with Kabul this year and supported greater political and economic engagement with the Taliban.

The Taliban has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting ISIS. Following recent attacks by Taliban opponents in Nuristan and Badakhshan, Taliban authorities also suggested that ISIS might have played a role in the fighting.

However, observers say claims linking armed Taliban opponents to ISIS are not supported by available evidence. Fighting in Nuristan and Badakhshan has largely involved the Afghanistan Freedom Front, which includes former members of Afghanistan’s security forces. No independent evidence of ISIS involvement in those clashes has been presented.

The Moscow Format meeting brought together representatives from Russia, the Taliban, Pakistan, Iran, China and several other regional countries. Russia sought to mediate between the Taliban and Pakistan, but their disagreements overshadowed the talks.

The Taliban delegation rejected the proposed wording of the final declaration, and the meeting ended without a joint statement. Pakistan said its disagreement with the Taliban was substantive and was not merely about wording.

The Japanese outlet warned that continued tensions could strengthen armed groups opposed to the Taliban and increase the risk of Afghanistan sliding back into civil war.

In an article published on Friday, 9 October, Nikkei Asia said recent clashes between the Afghanistan Freedom Front and Taliban forces showed that groups opposing the Taliban administration were stepping up their military activities.

The publication also pointed to growing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, saying China’s efforts to ease the dispute had so far failed.

China hosted talks between the Taliban and Pakistan in May 2025, followed by negotiations in Kabul in August that year. In April 2026, China hosted seven days of talks in Urumqi and urged both sides to avoid further escalation and work towards a comprehensive agreement. However, none of the negotiations or mediation efforts has yet produced a breakthrough.

Two Pakistani government officials told Nikkei Asia that the failure of peace efforts had encouraged anti-Taliban groups to intensify their attacks. One official said these groups expected fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan to expand if the deadlock in bilateral relations continued.

Experts interviewed by Nikkei Asia said continued clashes with Pakistan could weaken the Taliban.

They were also not optimistic that differences between Kabul and Islamabad would be resolved quickly through Chinese mediation, stressing that the success of such efforts would depend on the willingness and readiness of both sides to reach an agreement.

Nikkei Asia warned that increased activity by anti-Taliban groups, combined with continued tensions with Pakistan, could reverse progress towards peace and push Afghanistan towards wider violence or even renewed civil war.

The report comes as continuing border clashes with Pakistan and increased activity by armed groups opposed to the Taliban have added to the security challenges facing the Taliban administration.

Responding on Friday, 9 October, to widespread criticism of his earlier remarks, Zangeneh said claims that 110 hectares of Iranian territory had been handed over to Afghanistan were false reports spread by media opposed to the Islamic Republic.

He said his previous comments referred to allocating about 10 hectares of land at Chabahar port and around 100 hectares within the port’s free zone for Afghan investment.

Zangeneh added that Afghanistan could develop infrastructure such as a dry port in the designated area and said the purpose of the arrangement was to facilitate the country’s access to international waters.

he said that the meaning of this understanding is that Afghanistan can invest in this area and that it did not involve transferring Iranian territory or sovereignty.

Zangeneh also said Iran was prepared to welcome Afghan investment along its southern coast, including in the Makran region and Chabahar, while expanding its own investments in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, Zangeneh told Sahar TV that under a preliminary understanding, about 10 hectares of land on the Chabahar coast and more than 100 hectares in the port’s special economic zone were to be allocated for Afghanistan.

He had said that talks with Taliban officials had resulted in an agreement allowing Afghanistan to have an area of its own within the Chabahar Free Zone.

Zangeneh also said the Taliban had requested additional coastal land in Chabahar, but that no final agreement had been reached because of limited land availability.

During an Iranian delegation’s visit to Kabul, he also reported talks on increasing trade between Iran and Afghanistan to $10 billion, establishing a joint industrial town or park and expanding industrial cooperation.

His remarks drew widespread reaction on Iranian social media, with some users and critics interpreting the proposal as a transfer of Iranian territory to Afghanistan.

However, Chabahar’s governor also denied reports that land in the county was being transferred to foreign nationals, saying no request had been submitted, and no executive action or land transfer had taken place.

Mehdi Arab-Sadegh, a critic of the proposal, wrote on X in a message addressed to Zangeneh that you pushed total out to bring in the Taliban?! blood has been shed for every inch of this land.

Referring to Article 77 of Iran’s constitution, he also questioned on what basis Zangeneh and Iran’s industry minister had reached such an agreement and presented it to Afghanistan as good news.

Chabahar has in recent years become an important alternative route connecting Afghan trade to international waters. Rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan and repeated closures of their commercial crossings have increased the importance of Iranian trade routes for Afghanistan.

India also plays a role in developing and operating Chabahar port and considers it an important route for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The organisation published the third part of its report on the situation and reintegration of Afghan returnees on Thursday, 8 October. The report examined undocumented migrants who had spent at least eight months in Afghanistan after returning.

Poverty, unemployment, lack of shelter and limited access to basic services were identified as some of the main challenges facing returnees as they try to reintegrate.

According to the report, 53 per cent of assessed returnees aged 14 or older had no access to education, while 50 per cent remained unemployed. It also found that 54 per cent of returnee households were unable to meet their basic needs.

The report also described the housing situation as concerning. It found that 77 per cent of assessed returnees were living in temporary accommodation and 51 per cent did not have enough living space.

The International Organization for Migration said a lack of documentation was also preventing access to essential services. Only 21 per cent of households said all family members had identity documents, while 43 per cent lacked documents required to access essential services.

According to the report, food, shelter and cash assistance were the most urgent needs among returnees.

It also found that 75 per cent faced difficulties accessing disaster-response services, 62 per cent had problems accessing healthcare, 61 per cent lacked adequate access to electricity and 53 per cent struggled to obtain drinking water.

Meanwhile, 75 per cent of returnees who took part in the survey said they did not intend to leave their current place of residence. However, the report showed that employment and income opportunities had a direct influence on their future decisions.

According to the findings, 16 per cent of returnees said they wanted to leave Afghanistan again. That figure stood at 11 per cent in the first phase of the assessment and five per cent in the second.

Iran and Pakistan have intensified the deportation of Afghan migrants in recent years. The returns have continued despite many people facing unemployment, poverty, inadequate shelter and limited access to essential services after arriving in Afghanistan.

International organisations and human rights groups have repeatedly warned about the consequences of forcibly returning Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan and have called for the process to be halted.

They say returnees in Afghanistan face a severe economic crisis, unemployment, shortages of adequate shelter and limited access to basic services.