Pakistan has dismissed the Afghan Taliban’s assertion that Islamabad refused Kabul’s offer to deport terrorists targeting Pakistan, calling the claim “false and misleading.” In a statement on X, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Pakistan “categorically rejects the deliberate misrepresentation of facts” attributed to Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid regarding the recent Istanbul talks. The ministry clarified that Pakistan had requested that terrorists present in Afghanistan, who pose a threat to Pakistan, be controlled or arrested. “When the Afghan side claimed these individuals were Pakistani nationals, Pakistan immediately proposed that they be handed over via designated border crossings, consistent with our long-standing position. Any claim to the contrary is entirely baseless,” the statement added. Zabihullah Mujahid had told Afghan media that during the Istanbul negotiations, Afghanistan offered to deport individuals Islamabad considers security threats, but Pakistan “did not accept the offer” and instead requested that the Taliban restrain these individuals within Afghanistan. The remarks come as both countries agreed to continue the ceasefire, with the next round of talks scheduled for November 6, 2025, to finalize implementation mechanisms, according to a joint statement issued after the Istanbul meeting. The Istanbul negotiations, held from October 25 to 30, 2025, were mediated by Türkiye and Qatar. Delegations from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Qatar met to consolidate the ceasefire previously agreed upon in Doha on October 18–19, 2025. “All parties have agreed on the continuation of the ceasefire,” the statement said. “Further modalities for its implementation will be discussed and decided in a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6, 2025.” It added that all parties agreed to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the maintenance of peace and impose penalties on any violating side.
Pakistan dismisses Afghan Taliban’s claim on deportation of terrorists
