Bilawal Kamran
On December 23, 2024, after a 15-month hiatus, Pakistan sent a high-level delegation to Kabul led by Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, the country’s special representative on Afghanistan. The visit marked a renewed attempt to mend Pakistan’s strained relations with its neighbor, following months of diplomatic standoff.
For nearly a year, Pakistan had largely cut ties with Afghanistan to pressurize the Afghan government into addressing the threat posed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). After Ambassador Asif Durrani stepped down in September, Pakistan delayed appointing a new special envoy. However, the government revised its approach and convinced Sadiq, a veteran diplomat, to return to the post of special envoy. This was seen as an effort to restart diplomacy after tensions escalated.
Ambassador Sadiq’s return was pivotal in breaking the year-long impasse. Shortly after his appointment, he facilitated a meeting between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and the Afghan acting ambassador in Islamabad. Soon after, Sadiq traveled to Kabul, marking a significant step forward in the diplomatic process.
This diplomatic breakthrough came at a time of rising security concerns. Just days before Sadiq’s visit, a terrorist attack in South Waziristan killed 16 Pakistani soldiers, an assault claimed by the TTP. Sadiq’s mission was clear: urge the Taliban to address the TTP threat. He held productive discussions with key Afghan leaders, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. However, tensions flared on December 24 when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes in Paktika province, an area known for harboring TTP elements. Pakistan responded, claiming to have carried out operations against terrorists along the border, but the Taliban condemned the strikes, summoning a senior Pakistani diplomat to protest.
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Despite the diplomatic tensions, Sadiq’s visit continued with further meetings, including one with Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir. In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a stern statement condemning Afghanistan for harboring terrorist groups, emphasizing that Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan could not improve as long as these terrorist sanctuaries existed across the border. This position was echoed by Pakistan’s military leadership, with the Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) reaffirming Pakistan’s concerns about militants being allowed to operate freely on Afghan soil.
The security situation between the two countries remains dire. Pakistan’s military reports conducting an average of 169 operations per day against terrorist groups, with 925 militants killed in 2024 alone. Despite these efforts, 383 Pakistani security personnel lost their lives in the same period, underlining the severity of the threat posed by cross-border terrorism.
While Pakistan once hoped that the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan would further its strategic interests, the evolving situation has only complicated its relationship with Kabul, making it a critical point of contention for Pakistan’s national security and foreign policy.
