ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly rejected the Afghan Taliban regime’s claim that weapons are being smuggled from Pakistan into Afghanistan for so- called “subversive activities,” terming it frivolous, baseless, and contrary to established facts.
In a statement on Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said Afghanistan was already awash with large quantities of sophisticated weapons and military equipment left behind following the withdrawal of US and coalition forces.
The ministry said the abandoned weapons and equipment were estimated to be worth around $7.2 billion.
Afghanistan also possesses substantial stocks of Soviet-era weaponry accumulated over decades of conflict, the ministry added.
— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) August 9, 2026
The statement noted that attempts to establish a Pakistani link to such weapons seem designed to divert international attention from the far more serious and documented concern: terrorist groups continue to find space, facilitation and operational freedom on Afghan soil to plan, support and execute attacks inside the country.
“Rather than resorting to implausible accusations and blame-shifting, the Afghan Taliban authorities 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,” it said.
The statement came hours after Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry claimed to have discovered and seized “dozens of tons of light and heavy weapons” allegedly smuggled from Pakistan.
Pakistan witnesses surge in terror activities
Pakistan witnessed a surge in terror activities, particularly in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban came into power.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban regime to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP terrorist network. However, the Taliban regime failed to take any action against the terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil.
Due to the surge in terrorist attacks, the country has intensified counterterrorism operations to eliminate the menace.
Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, months after the two countries reached a ceasefire agreement in October 2025 following clashes that erupted after what Islamabad described as unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces at several points along the border.
In June, the country’s security forces killed 29 terrorists during a well-planned intelligence-based ground operation along the Afghanistan border, followed by precision strikes in the border region targeting hideouts and safe havens of terrorists belonging to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist groups.
Also Read: Taliban’s Terror Nexus Further Exposed Along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border
A former deputy chief of the Afghan National Army, Lieutenant General Sayed Sami Sadat, has also confirmed that the Afghan Taliban regime is supporting terrorist groups carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.
Lieutenant General Sadat, who served as Deputy Chief of the Afghan Army in 2021 under the former Afghan government, made the remarks in a video comment.
“It is absolutely true that any group carrying out attacks against Pakistan is being supported by the Afghan Taliban. They are providing these groups with assistance and backing,” Sadat said.
“It is also true that the Afghan Taliban maintain close relations with India and receive financial support from it. These funds are then provided to groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to facilitate attacks inside Pakistan,” he added.
