Pak-Afghan relations have reached a dead-end following the collapse of Istanbul talks due to the Taliban's refusal to give a written commitment to end their support for terrorist groups based in Afghanistan that repeatedly attack Pakistan. Accordingly, Pakistan is no longer bound by the ceasefire agreement of 18 October and reserves the right to respond with force against any terrorist attack emanating from Afghan soil.

Owing to geopolitical compulsions, Pakistan has consistently sought friendly relations with Kabul to avoid a two-front simultaneous confrontation involving Afghanistan and India. Additionally, cooperation with Afghanistan has been essential for regional connectivity with landlocked Central Asian States.

However, successive Afghan governments, including the present Taliban regime, have tried to leverage Pakistan's compulsions through hostile behaviour to extract unilateral concessions. In particular, they have connived with India to promote secessionist and terrorist groups in Pakistan while rejecting the internationally recognised border with Pakistan.

Presently, as verified by UN reports, the Taliban have provided bases to the TTP and BLA, while also extending generous funding and access to the latest abandoned American weaponry. Moreover, Taliban and Indian intelligence agencies maintain close cooperation and coordination over terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including against Chinese interests.

Taliban hostility has increased with their growing engagement with India. They were the only entity, apart from Israel, that supported the Indians after the Pahalgam incident last April. During his recent visit to Delhi,........

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