Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions flare once more

The Taliban in Afghanistan tries to abandon its kinetic approach and masquerade as a government that wants to establish peace internally and in its regional environment.

Nevertheless, the movement seems to be incapable of abandoning its exclusionary way in dealing with governments, especially in neighbouring countries and specifically Pakistan whose shared border with Afghanistan has been experiencing frequent tensions since the Taliban seized power in August 2021.

Recurring crises

In June 2022, Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Pakistan's political framework does not represent an Islamic system.

He noted in a video posted by his movement on social media sites that religion is not important to the Pakistani government.

His remarks came in the wake of tensions border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, against the background of the Taliban's support to its Pakistani branch.

On December 10, 2021 Nurullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, said his movement is a branch of the Afghan Taliban.

He also refused to extend the ceasefire with the Pakistani government.

The leader of the Pakistani Taliban pledged that his movement would implement an Islamic system in Pakistan (similar to Afghanistan).

At the end of May 2022, during the negotiations to extend the truce between the Pakistani government and the Pakistani wing of the Taliban, the Taliban delegation encouraged Pakistan to change the situation in the country and transfer the experience of the Afghan branch to Pakistan.

The delegation also submitted a list of demands, foremost of which the application of Islamic law in areas under the control of the movement, the exit of Pakistani troops from tribal areas, and the removal of the iron fence erected by Pakistani troops along the Durand Line between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Crisis of crossings

Earlier this year, tensions flared on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, leaving several casualties among Pakistani troops.

Islamabad accused the Afghan Taliban of supporting armed groups on the border between the two countries.

It also accused Kabul of harbouring Pakistani militants linked to the twin Taliban movement in Pakistan.

Islamabad announced the launch of military attacks to secure its border from militants linked to the Taliban movement with its Afghan and Pakistani branches.

It noted that this fell under the scope of international law, and appointed an official familiar with the Taliban movement and its geography because the movement has intensified its attacks on Pakistan since Shahbaz Sharif assumed the presidency of the Pakistani government.

Raising concern about the worsening situation, recent statements by US officials confirmed that the Pakistani Taliban could be targeted as it is still classified on terrorism lists, while Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister in the Taliban government of Afghanistan, denied Islamabad's accusations.

He stressed that the movement provided Pakistan with safe crossings to facilitate trade exchanges between it and neighbouring countries.

Repetition of penance

Activists shared video recordings in early February of officials from the Afghan Taliban, in which they accuse the Pakistani government, headed by Shahbaz Sharif, of blasphemy.