Pakistan rejects allegations of links to ISKP amid rising tensions with Afghanistan

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has rejected allegations by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi that Islamabad is linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), further highlighting tensions between the two countries over regional security.

Speaking at the ministry’s weekly briefing on Friday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson dismissed the allegations and said the Islamic Emirate administration was responsible for the security situation in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan and Nuristan provinces.

The spokesperson also alleged that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other militant groups were operating from safe havens in Afghanistan. He claimed that Pakistani authorities had shared specific information about the locations of these groups through political and other channels.

The Pakistani official further defended his country’s military strikes, describing them as targeted and precise. On the other hand, however, the Islamic Emirate has stated that civilians were targeted in airstrikes by the Pakistani military regime.

However, Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate has repeatedly rejected Pakistani allegations that Afghan territory is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan. Afghan officials have maintained that Pakistan’s security challenges stem from its own internal issues and developments over several years.

The two countries also remain divided over the outcome of the eighth Moscow Format meeting. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Islamabad had participated constructively and clearly presented its concerns during the discussions.

Asked why the meeting concluded without a joint statement, the spokesperson said the Afghan delegation had not agreed to the wording used in previous years, describing the disagreement as a substantive issue rather than a matter of language alone.

At the meeting, Muttaqi accused Pakistan of using ISKP and former Afghan government forces in what he described as a new campaign to destabilize Afghanistan and the wider region. He referred to security incidents in Badakhshan and Nuristan in support of his claims.

The latest exchange of accusations underscores continuing disagreements between Kabul and Islamabad over militancy, crossing security and regional stability.