Sharif says Kabul has shown no serious commitment to curb militant groups

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate has failed to make any serious commitment in response to Pakistan’s demands to curb the activities of militant groups.

Speaking at a security workshop in Islamabad focused on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sharif said Pakistan did not want to suspend trade with Afghanistan, but ongoing security threats had “forced” Islamabad to close crossings.

He said Pakistan had made repeated diplomatic efforts to address its concerns, but Kabul had shown little willingness to commit to restraining militant groups operating from Afghan territory.

“This time, it must be decided whether Afghanistan wants to live peacefully or not,” Sharif said.

The prime minister added that while Afghans are “our brothers and sisters,” the Islamic Emirate should at least show compassion for its own people by preventing militant activity. He said Pakistan would nonetheless continue efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue.

Sharif said terrorism had largely been eradicated in Pakistan by 2018, but attacks have since resurged, now occurring almost daily in different parts of the country.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s long-standing role in hosting Afghan refugees, saying nearly four million Afghans have lived in Pakistan over several decades, often supported by Pakistan’s own resources despite international assistance.

“We did not do any favour; we fulfilled our responsibilities,” Sharif said. “But the way they are paying us back is very upsetting.”

Referring to the Doha Agreement, Sharif said Afghanistan had committed to preventing terrorist groups from using its soil against other countries, a pledge he said has not been honoured.

“What is good for Afghanistan is good for Pakistan, and what is good for Pakistan is good for Afghanistan,” he said, stressing that peaceful coexistence remains the only viable path forward.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks inside Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory.

The Islamic Emirate has however continued to reject these allegations, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for Pakistan’s “security failures.”