India-Afghanistan talks unnerve Pakistan: It protests to Kabul after Taliban condemn Pahalgam attack

Rattled Islamabad on Saturday, conveyed its reservations over the elements of the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi. The statement was released on Saturday after Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met his Indian counterpart Dr S. Jaishankar during his week-long visit to India.

Pakistan raised an issue with the reference to Jammu and Kashmir and expressed discontent over the assertion that “terrorism is Pakistan’s internal problem”. In light of this, the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) also summoned Afghanistan’s ambassador to deliver Pakistan’s protest.

Muttaqi is on a six-day visit to India after receiving a temporary exemption from the travel ban by the UN Security Council (UNSC) Committee. This was the first such trip to India by a Taliban minister, after the group took over Kabul in August 2021.

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What the statement entailed

During their meeting on Saturday, Jaishankar expressed his deep appreciation to Afghanistan for its strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April. In the joint statement after the meeting, both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries. They underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.

The two nations also emphasised respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Afghan Foreign Minister reiterated the commitment that the Afghan government will not allow any group or individual to use the territory of Afghanistan against India.

Soon after the meeting, Islamabad strongly rebutted Muttaqi’s claim, saying: “Pakistan has repeatedly shared details regarding the presence of Fitna‑e‑Khawarij and Fitna‑e‑Hindustan terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan with support from elements within Afghanistan.”

The Pakistani foreign office noted that Muttaqi’s claim that terrorism is “Pakistan’s internal matter” is a way of deflecting responsibility. It also urged that “unauthorised Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan” return to their country.

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Muttaqi is on a week-long visit to India (October 9–16), the first such high-level visit since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Earlier, he said the “future of India‑Afghanistan relations seems very bright.”