Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claims of weapons smuggling as 'frivolous, baseless'

Pakistan has forcefully rejected claims by the Afghan Taliban that weapons are being smuggled from Pakistani territory into Afghanistan for "subversive activities." The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the allegations as "frivolous, baseless and contrary to established facts."

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The Afghan Taliban regime’s claim that weapons are being smuggled from Pakistan into Afghanistan for so-called ‘subversive activities’ is frivolous, baseless and contrary to established facts.

In a statement shared on X, the ministry highlighted that Afghanistan is already awash with sophisticated weaponry. This includes an estimated $7.2 billion worth of arms and military equipment abandoned by U.S. and coalition forces, alongside large stockpiles of Soviet-era weapons accumulated over decades of conflict.

Pakistan suggested that attempts to link it to weapons smuggling are a diversionary tactic. The ministry argued that such claims aim to distract from the "far more serious and documented concern" of terrorist groups operating with impunity on Afghan soil to plan and execute attacks inside Pakistan.

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Attempts to manufacture a Pakistani connection to such weapons seem designed to divert international attention from the far more serious and documented concern[s]: terrorist groups continue to find space, facilitation and operational freedom on Afghan soil to plan, support and execute attacks inside Pakistan.

The statement urged the Afghan Taliban to focus on addressing terrorist sanctuaries within their borders and to uphold their commitments that Afghan territory will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other nation. Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Afghan Taliban to curb terrorist hideouts and prevent violent groups from launching attacks, appeals that officials say have gone unheeded.

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Rather than resorting to “implausible accusations and blame-shifting”, the Afghan Taliban must address the “presence of terrorist sanctuaries on their territory and fulfil their repeated commitments that Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other country”.