Taliban Seek to Ease Tensions with Pakistan Amid Growing India Criticism

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Afghan administration wants to resolve strained relations with Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of closing trade routes and creating obstacles for Afghan traders. He emphasized that prolonged disputes benefit neither side and highlighted the Taliban’s recent mining contracts and infrastructure projects, though analysts noted limited transparency.

In Pakistan, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry criticised the Taliban’s growing ties with India, invoking a Quranic verse to argue that Muslims should not befriend non‑believers. He alleged that India uses the Taliban to destabilise Pakistan and described the Afghanistan‑India relationship as a “master and servant” dynamic, a claim India has denied.