Pakistan has issued a direct ultimatum to Kabul, demanding that Afghanistan choose between fostering ties with Islamabad or harbouring the TTP, as stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan during a press briefing on Friday, 19 September 2025, in Islamabad.
This development, rooted in ongoing Pakistan and Kabul security frictions, stems from accusations that Afghan soil hosts TTP sanctuaries used for attacks inside Pakistan, with the Taliban denying any support and calling for restraint to preserve bilateral relations.
Why It Matters for South Asia
The Pakistan and Kabul rift over TTP activities amplifies security vulnerabilities across South Asia, where porous borders facilitate militant flows that threaten stability in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and beyond. With TTP attacks surging since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, this impasse could derail counter-terrorism cooperation, exacerbate refugee crises, and draw in regional powers like China and India, potentially igniting a cycle of retaliation that undermines economic corridors and peace initiatives vital to the subcontinent.
Diplomatic Pressure Mounts in Pakistan and Kabul Dialogue
The ultimatum emerged during a weekly Foreign Ministry briefing, where officials reiterated long-standing grievances about TTP operations allegedly launched from Afghan territory.
Shafqat Ali Khan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, stated:
“Afghanistan is a close neighbour. We want a brotherly relationship… Kabul has to select Pakistan or TTP.”
This follows a pattern of heightened rhetoric, as Pakistan links its security woes to broader alliances, including a recent defence pact with Saudi Arabia. In response, Afghan political analyst Moeen Gul Samkani countered the narrative, emphasising mutual accountability.
Moeen Gul Samkani remarked:
“TTP is not ours… It is Pakistan that must decide whether to side with TTP or distance itself from it.”
The Taliban’s official stance, voiced from Kabul, rejects any complicity in cross-border terrorism.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesperson, said:
“Afghanistan does not support insecurity in Pakistan… They should not make remarks that damage the people and the atmosphere.”
These exchanges highlight the deepening divide in Pakistan and Kabul relations, strained further by recent military actions.
Data from Pakistani security reports indicate a sharp rise in TTP-linked incidents, with over 800 attacks claimed by the group in the past two years, resulting in hundreds of casualties among civilians and forces. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly urged Kabul to dismantle these networks, warning that failure to act perpetuates a proxy war dynamic.
TTP’s Role in Escalating Pakistan, Kabul Tensions
The TTP, an umbrella of Sunni Islamist factions formed in 2007, seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Islamabad accuses Kabul of providing safe havens to TTP fighters, who cross the Durand Line—the disputed 19th-century border—for training and launches. This claim gained traction after a TTP assault on a Pakistani border post in North Waziristan on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, killing seven soldiers.
Pakistan’s political leadership has tied regional security to international partnerships.
Rana Sanaullah, Prime Minister’s political adviser, declared:
“An attack on Pakistan will mean an attack on Saudi Arabia. Therefore, terrorism and proxy war are no longer only against Pakistan, but also against Saudi Arabia.”
This references a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, which treats aggression against either nation as a joint threat.
From Kabul’s perspective, such statements risk provocation. The Taliban, governing as the Islamic Emirate, view TTP as a distinct entity and have conducted operations against affiliated groups, though UN reports suggest limited enforcement. A recent trilateral dialogue in Kabul on 20 August 2025, involving Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, his Chinese and Afghan counterparts, pledged enhanced counter-terrorism efforts, yet drone strikes by Pakistan in Nangarhar and Khost provinces on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, killed three civilians and wounded seven, prompting a formal protest.
China, a key stakeholder, has advocated de-escalation. During Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Kabul earlier this month, Beijing stressed resolving Pakistan and Kabul disputes through dialogue, underscoring the need for stability to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan.
Background
Relations between Pakistan and Kabul have deteriorated since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power, initially seen by Islamabad as a strategic win against Indian influence. However, the TTP’s resurgence, emboldened by cross-border sanctuaries—has reversed this optimism. UN assessments from 2023 noted TTP members moving freely along the Afghan-Pakistan frontier, armed and unchallenged.
Past incidents include Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika province on Tuesday, 24 December 2024, targeting TTP camps but killing 46 civilians, mostly women and children, according to Taliban reports. Retaliatory fire from Afghan forces targeted Pakistani positions days later. Similar clashes in March 2024 and August 2025 underscore a cycle of accusations: Pakistan alleges Kabul patronises militants, while the Taliban claims Islamabad’s actions violate sovereignty.
Domestically, Pakistan grapples with TTP violence, including a 2 September 2025 attack on a paramilitary base in Bannu that killed six security personnel and six militants. These events have prompted Islamabad to fortify the border fence, displacing communities and heightening humanitarian concerns.
What’s Next for Pakistan, Kabul Engagement
With Prime Minister Sharif’s upcoming address at the UN General Assembly on Monday, 22 September 2025, expectations mount for renewed calls on Kabul to act against TTP networks. Regional mediators like China may facilitate talks, but absent concrete steps, experts warn of further skirmishes along the Pakistan and Kabul frontier.
In conclusion, the Pakistan, Kabul ultimatum on TTP sanctuaries signals a precarious crossroads, where diplomatic breakthroughs or military escalations could profoundly shape South Asian security for years to come.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 21st, 2025
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