Taliban and Pakistan disputes block joint statement at Moscow meeting

Diplomatic talks at the eighth Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan ended without a joint statement on Monday, October 5, after disagreements between the Taliban and Pakistan prevented finalization of the text, Afghanistan International reported.

Muttaqi Accuses Islamabad of Military Aggression and Destabilization

Speaking in Moscow on Monday, Muttaqi stated that the Taliban sought normal relations with all regional countries, particularly Pakistan. However, he maintained that the system governing Pakistan’s policy had adopted a military approach toward Afghanistan instead of pursuing political understanding. According to Muttaqi, problems with Pakistan must be resolved through dialogue, while he accused Pakistani officials of resorting to force and pressure rather than political and diplomatic solutions.

Additionally, Muttaqi charged that Pakistan’s armed forces carried out cross-border operations inside Afghan territory that deliberately hit non-combatants. He alleged that Pakistani units struck hospitals, schools, universities, and civilian homes in clear breach of global norms and international law. He also alleged that Pakistan had carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s border provinces, killing and wounding civilians.

The Taliban foreign minister also criticized Pakistan’s treatment of Afghan migrants, stating that pressure on Afghan refugees, migrants, and students in the country was continuing. Muttaqi accused Islamabad of attempting to destabilize Afghanistan by creating insecurity through some former Afghan military personnel and ISIS. He claimed that recent security incidents in Badakhshan and Nuristan provinces were linked to Pakistani support, though he provided no further details to substantiate the allegation.

Kabulov Reveals Terror References Triggered the Draft Failure

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian president’s special representative for Afghanistan, provided the diplomatic rationale behind the abandoned communique. On October 5, Kabulov reported that the eighth Moscow Format gathering concluded with no shared declaration owing to a lack of consensus between Pakistan and the Taliban.

Kabulov stated that Russia regretted the failure to finalize a joint statement at the meeting. He explained that disagreements emerged between the Afghan and Pakistani colleagues while the final statement was being drafted, preventing the sides from reaching an agreement on the text. Based on Kabulov’s explanation, the Taliban raised objections regarding portions of the text that linked Afghanistan to terrorism. The Russian diplomat pointed out that the Taliban felt terrorism references were disproportionately frequent in the current year’s draft.

The Kremlin’s special envoy expressed astonishment at the Taliban’s stance, pointing out that identical phrasing had featured in the concluding communique of the seventh Moscow Format session the prior year.

Security Assurances and Regional Economic Appeals

Taliban officials have repeatedly accused Pakistan in recent months of supporting armed opponents of the group. Islamabad has rejected the accusations and, in turn, has called on the Taliban to prevent the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from operating on Afghan soil. In his speech, Muttaqi stressed that the Taliban reserved their legitimate right to self-defense and would not accept external pressure.

Simultaneously, Muttaqi affirmed that the Taliban administration remained dedicated to preserving order nationwide, offering guarantees to the international community and neighboring states that Afghan soil would never serve as a base for hostile acts against any nation. He argued that establishing stability required cooperation from countries in the region and the wider world, asserting that security could not be achieved solely by strengthening military capabilities.

Security is directly linked to the economy and stability, Muttaqi said, urging international actors and neighboring countries to foster economic ties with Afghanistan instead of applying pressure on the Taliban administration.

Furthermore, Muttaqi asserted that the Taliban administration had successfully suppressed the Islamic State and neutralized the threat posed by the extremist network. He additionally reported that narcotics production and trafficking had come under supervision and decreased relative to prior years. Muttaqi’s remarks at the Moscow Format meeting come as tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have heightened in recent months, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of supporting armed groups and contributing to cross-border instability—allegations denied by both sides.