THE relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has reached a historic low point. Tensions between the two neighbours have surged, fueled primarily by the Afghan Taliban’s failure to curb the growing presence of anti-Pakistan terror groups operating from Afghan soil. Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi on Friday unequivocally stated that trade and transit with Afghanistan will remain impossible unless the Taliban regime takes concrete and decisive action against these terrorist elements.
These remarks are not only an accurate reflection of the current situation but also a call to the Afghan authorities to recognize the deepening crisis. For Pakistan, the issue of cross-border terrorism is not an abstract concern but a matter of national security, with terrorists exploiting Afghan territory to carry out attacks on Pakistani soil. The failure of the Afghan Taliban regime to clamp down on these groups has placed enormous strain on any potential for positive bilateral relations, particularly in trade, which is heavily reliant on a secure environment. The reality is that any attempt by Afghanistan to find new trade routes will face significant hurdles. Countries in the region have already seen the destabilizing effects of cross-border terrorism and they are unlikely to take on the risk of facilitating trade with Afghanistan without assurances of greater security. The Afghan authorities must face the fact that their failure to curb terror groups is making life even harder for their own people. The prospect of economic isolation will only exacerbate the already dire economic conditions in Afghanistan. Ultimately, the decision rests with the Afghan authorities either continue to foster an environment of instability and conflict, or take necessary steps toward securing their borders and eliminating the threat of terrorism. Doing so will not only benefit Pakistan and its regional partners but will also offer Afghanistan a chance to heal its wounds and rebuild its economy. This is a critical moment for the Afghan regime to demonstrate to the world and to its own people that it is serious about its responsibilities and committed to securing a better future for Afghanistan. Failure to act decisively will only prolong the suffering of the Afghan people and further entrench their isolation.
