Pakistan rejects Taliban claims linking Islamabad to Nuristan clashes

On Sunday, Pakistan dismissed claims made by the Afghan Taliban regime that linked Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies to violent incidents in Nuristan province of Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban characterized these allegations as "frivolous, baseless, and devoid of any truth." The Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a fact-check denying any involvement in the internal clashes occurring in Nuristan or elsewhere in Afghanistan.

The ministry stated that there was no evidence to support Pakistan's alleged involvement, including identities, documents, communications, forensic evidence, or independent verification. The ministry rejected a video circulating on social media as evidence, arguing that it depicted only unarmed individuals who were not adequately dressed or equipped; they appeared to have been arrested in a pre-planned video shoot.

The ministry noted that the existence and activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan were documented in reports by the United Nations and other international organizations. Pakistan emphasized that efforts to link Pakistan to the Taliban's actions would not diminish the fact that terrorist groups continued to operate within Afghanistan.

The ministry urged the Afghan Taliban to take "credible and verifiable action" against terrorist organizations operating from Afghanistan and to honor its commitments to prevent terrorism against Pakistan or any other nation. The ministry also accused the Taliban regime of using these allegations to shift responsibility for internal security issues and criticized its record regarding women, children, and minorities.

This stance follows a period of heightened tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, marked by accusations over cross-border militancy and security incidents.