Taliban claim their supreme leader warned TTP to halt attacks, but Pakistan says words without action are not enough
Image: Genocide Watch
ISLAMABAD — The Taliban regime has informally conveyed that Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada personally warned the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to stop attacks inside Pakistan or risk losing the Taliban’s allegiance. The message was presented as a show of sincerity, but Pakistan was not impressed.
A credible Pakistani source said Islamabad viewed the move as insufficient and lacking the substance needed to bring about any real change on the ground. Officials familiar with the matter believe the Taliban’s assurances are aimed more at easing regional pressure than addressing the root causes of the problem.
A senior official put it plainly: “The problem is not the absence of assurances — the problem is the absence of verifiable action.” He added that recruitment of Afghan nationals into terrorist networks continues despite repeated Taliban claims of corrective measures.
Diplomatic efforts to prevent a further breakdown in ties are ongoing. Senior officials from both sides held weeklong talks in Urumqi, China in April, facilitated by Beijing, which described the meetings as constructive. The issue also featured during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China, where a joint statement urged Kabul to take decisive action against the TTP, ETIM, and other militant networks.
Yet attacks have continued. Tensions have periodically spilled into military confrontations along the border, with clashes erupting in October last year and renewed exchanges of fire reported as recently as February and March this year.
Pakistan says it has repeatedly shared evidence of TTP leaders operating on Afghan soil. The Taliban deny it. And despite occasional diplomatic engagement, the gap between Kabul’s promises and its actions continues to define one of the region’s most troubled relationships.
