Taliban Defence Minister Denounces Pakistan’s Claims of Indian Proxy War from Afghanistan

Taliban Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan’s long-standing allegations that India is using Afghan territory to orchestrate a proxy war against Islamabad. Speaking at a packed press conference in the Afghan capital, Mujahid described the claims as “completely baseless,” “politically motivated,” and a deliberate attempt to inflame bilateral tensions. His remarks mark one of the strongest public rebukes from the Taliban government against its northern neighbor since seizing power in 2021.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), of funding, arming, and training anti-Pakistan militant groups—particularly the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—from bases inside Afghanistan. Islamabad claims these groups are behind a surge in deadly attacks across Pakistan, especially in the border provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Pakistani military officials have cited intercepted communications, captured weapons, and alleged confessions as proof of Indian involvement.

But Mujahid dismissed the entire narrative as fiction. “Pakistan is looking for someone to blame for its own failures,” he said, pointing to Islamabad’s inability to curb rising militancy within its borders despite years of military operations. He accused Pakistani leaders of using the “India proxy” card to distract from domestic political crises, economic instability, and growing public frustration with the government’s counterterrorism record.

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The Taliban minister went further, claiming that Afghanistan itself is a victim of cross-border terrorism sponsored by elements within Pakistan. “Who created the TTP in the first place? Who gave sanctuary to extremist ideologies for decades?” Mujahid asked rhetorically, alluding to Pakistan’s historical support for militant groups during the Soviet-Afghan War and the post-9/11 insurgency. He insisted that the current Afghan government has no interest in exporting violence and is focused solely on reconstruction and internal stability.

Diplomatic relations between Kabul and Islamabad have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Pakistan has conducted multiple airstrikes inside Afghanistan targeting alleged TTP sanctuaries, drawing fierce condemnation from the Taliban. In response, Afghan forces have clashed with Pakistani border troops, and Kabul has expelled hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan—a move widely seen as retaliatory. Despite the hostility, both sides maintain critical economic and transit links. The Torkham and Chaman border crossings remain vital trade arteries, and Pakistan continues to host millions of Afghan refugees. Analysts warn that a complete breakdown in ties could trigger a humanitarian crisis and embolden extremist groups on both sides of the Durand Line.

India has consistently rejected Pakistan’s accusations, with New Delhi’s foreign ministry calling them “malicious propaganda” designed to deflect from Pakistan’s internal challenges. Indian officials point out that New Delhi has invested over $3 billion in Afghan infrastructure, education, and healthcare—projects aimed at development, not destabilization.

Yet the proxy war narrative persists in Pakistani media and political discourse, often amplified during times of heightened India-Pakistan tension, such as the 2019 Pulwama attack or the 2022 Kashmir skirmishes. Some Pakistani analysts argue that India benefits strategically from Afghanistan’s instability, as it keeps Pakistan preoccupied on its western border. For the Taliban, however, being cast as India’s proxy—or anyone’s proxy—is a direct challenge to their legitimacy. “We are not a rented battlefield,” Mujahid declared. “Afghanistan will not be used by any foreign power against another.” He announced that Afghan security forces have intensified operations against TTP and other armed groups, claiming dozens of arrests and the destruction of training camps in eastern provinces.

Independent verification of these claims remains difficult due to restricted access for journalists and international observers. The United Nations has reported a significant increase in TTP attacks inside Pakistan but has not confirmed state sponsorship from either India or Afghanistan. As the war of words escalates, regional powers are watching closely. China, a key investor in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, has urged restraint and dialogue. The United States, though disengaged militarily, continues to monitor the situation due to concerns over ISIS-K, a mutual threat to all three countries.

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