Pakistan tells Afghan Taliban terrorism is a 'red line', reserves right to act after Mujahid blames Islamabad
Pakistan's information ministry rejected Zabihullah Mujahid's claim that Islamabad does not want talks, and reserved the right to act against threats.
At a glance
- Pakistan's information ministry said on Saturday, October 31, 2026, that the Afghan Taliban's refusal to act on terrorism is the main obstacle to normal relations.
- It was answering Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who said Pakistan does not want to resolve the conflict through talks.
- Islamabad said it reserves the right to take all necessary measures under international law against threats 'wherever they originate'.
- Pakistan recorded 225 militant attacks in September, the highest monthly tally in 12 years, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.
- Talks facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye last year, and efforts involving China this year, brought no breakthrough.
Pakistan warned the Afghan Taliban on Saturday that it reserves the right to "take all necessary measures, in accordance with international law" against threats to its security, "wherever they originate". The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued the statement on October 31, 2026, after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a radio interview that Islamabad did not want to settle the conflict through talks.
"Pakistan's position is unequivocal: terrorism is a red line, and the security of its citizens is non-negotiable," the ministry said.
Two versions of why the talks keep failing
Mujahid blamed Pakistan's "wrong policies" for the deadlock and said Islamabad "lacks the necessary readiness for a peaceful resolution of differences". He also insisted that Kabul was not the cause of Pakistan's militancy problem.
Pakistan's reply was that this avoids the only issue that matters to it. The Taliban leadership, the ministry said, "continues to blame Islamabad's policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations": a failure to stop terrorism launched from Afghan soil.
It went further: "Shifting blame, making hollow assurances and questioning Pakistan's policies will neither resolve the crisis nor absolve Kabul of its responsibilities."
The core of the dispute is the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad says the group uses sanctuaries in Afghanistan to plan attacks inside Pakistan. On October 24 the ministry cited UN and US assessments of militant groups in Afghanistan and asked for verifiable action against the TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army. Kabul denies responsibility.
A year of failed mediation and border fire
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Several rounds of talks facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye end without a workable deal, Pakistan says |
| 2026 | Efforts involving China bring no breakthrough |
| September 2026 | Pakistan carries out airstrikes in the border region after attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; drone incursions and two more rounds of retaliatory strikes follow |
| September 2026 | 225 militant attacks recorded in Pakistan, the highest monthly tally in 12 years, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies |
| October 2026 | Firing along the border in Kurram and Lower South Waziristan's Angoor Adda |
| October 27, 2026 | Pakistani officials say fire from the Afghan side at Angoor Adda killed one local and injured a family of five; Kabul blames Pakistani drones |
| October 31, 2026 | Mujahid's remarks, followed by the ministry's statement |
Mujahid's tone has also changed since September, when he said Kabul wanted continued dialogue and cooperation with Islamabad. Pakistan's line has stayed the same throughout: no normal ties without concrete action against militants.
What this means for people on both sides of the border
Saturday's exchange produced no new military action or formal step, but the wording matters. "Wherever they originate" is the language Pakistan has used to justify strikes across the border, and the ministry added that its resolve "must never be mistaken for weakness".
The people most exposed are those living in border districts such as Kurram and South Waziristan, where the recent firing has hit homes. Traders and Afghan families who rely on normal movement across the border also lose out each time relations sink further.
No new round of talks on the calendar
Neither government has announced fresh talks, and no mediator has publicly offered a new date. The more immediate test is on the ground at Angoor Adda and Kurram, where any new exchange of fire would show whether Saturday's statement stays a war of words.
