Islamabad, November 14, 2025: Pakistan on Friday reiterated that while it remains open to dialogue with the government in Kabul, it will not engage with terrorist organisations such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said, “Pakistan has never eschewed dialogue with any government in Kabul. However, Pakistan will not hold dialogue with any terrorist groups, be it TTP or BLA.”
He noted that the third round of talks with the Afghan Taliban regime concluded on November 7 in Istanbul, and expressed appreciation for the mediation efforts of Qatar and Turkey.
Andrabi highlighted a sharp surge in terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. “Throughout these years, Pakistan — despite suffering military and civilian casualties — exercised maximum restraint and did not escalate,” he said, adding that Pakistan had hoped the Taliban regime would take concrete action against the TTP over time.
He said Pakistan had sought positive engagement with the Afghan Taliban, offering bilateral trade and humanitarian assistance, but regretted that these gestures were met with “hollow promises and inaction.”
“Anyone harbouring, abetting, or financing TTP and BLA is not a friend or well-wisher of Pakistan and its people,” he stressed, reaffirming that these groups are considered enemies of Pakistan.
The FO spokesperson criticized attempts by the Taliban to misrepresent the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan as a humanitarian or refugee issue. “This is not a humanitarian or a refugee crisis but a ploy to frame terrorists as refugees,” he said, adding that Pakistan is ready to receive any Pakistani citizens from Afghanistan provided they are handed over at border crossings, rather than being “hurled across the border fully equipped with sophisticated weapons.”
Andrabi noted that while some elements within the Afghan Taliban seek to avoid confrontation with Pakistan, a “strong lobby” backed by foreign actors has worked to escalate tensions. “These elements have engaged in abuses and outrageous allegations against Pakistan, eroding whatever goodwill existed,” he said.
He dismissed reports suggesting disagreement within Pakistan over its Afghan policy, stating, “There is absolute clarity among the people of Pakistan that ordinary citizens are the biggest victims of terrorist activities by elements hiding in Afghanistan.”
Concluding his briefing, Andrabi reaffirmed national support for the armed forces: “The armed forces of Pakistan are making sacrifices to safeguard the lives and properties of the people. The entire nation stands with them to protect Pakistan’s interests and the lives of its citizens.”
