MOSCOW: Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq on Monday warned the Moscow Format Consultations that the Taliban regime was complicit in terrorist attacks in Pakistan, adding that terrorist groups are operating with impunity from Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistani civilians and security personnel.
Addressing the 8th Meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, Sadiq said thousands of innocent Pakistani civilians and security personnel have been martyred in the last few years as a result of terrorist attacks planned, financed, supported and carried out from Afghan soil. “The Taliban Regime is complicit in this. No responsible state can remain passive when its security is repeatedly undermined, and its people are viciously targeted.”
Statement by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan at the Eighth Meeting of the Moscow Format https://t.co/GMOIDUJ4DR
— Mohammad Sadiq (@AmbassadorSadiq) October 5, 2026
The Special Representative said that Pakistan attaches immense importance to the role of the “Moscow Format’ in advancing the shared goal of a peaceful and stable region.
The Moscow Format meeting brought together special representatives and senior officials from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Belarus and Egypt attending as guest delegations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered the opening remarks, while the Taliban regime delegation is being led by interim foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The Moscow Format provides a regional platform for discussing developments in Afghanistan and issues affecting regional stability.
8th Meeting Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan commenced in Moscow today, bringing together Afghanistan & countries of the region to discuss the situation in Afghanistan & issues of regional concern.
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@MoIB_Official https://t.co/JmbKlTXMCZ— Pakistan Embassy Russia (@PakinRussia) October 5, 2026
Mohammad Sadiq said that terrorism remains at the core of Afghanistan’s problems, with roots in the nexus between the Taliban Regime and terrorist groups including the TTP, BLA, ETIM, ISKP, Al Qaeda and their affiliates, that operate with impunity on Afghan soil. “The situation is worsened by external actors and spoilers who support proxies inside Afghanistan to target Pakistan and other countries in the region,” Sadiq said.
Sadiq said that five years into the Taliban rule, Pakistan faced the most serious security threat. “Over the last three years alone, more than 4,700 innocent Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. No country would tolerate such a situation,” he said.
Mohammad Sadiq said that Pakistan’s counter terrorism operations are conducted in response to the terrorist attacks being perpetrated from Afghan soil. He said that Pakistan’s counter terrorism operations are precise, intelligence-based and defensive in nature.
Sadiq maintained that Pakistan’s actions are in exercise of its right to self-defence, to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. He said that Pakistan’s actions are directed solely against the terrorist outfits based in Afghanistan that pose a threat to the region and beyond.
“Pakistan has been, and will continue to take all appropriate measures to uphold the safety and security of its citizens in accordance with international law, and based on the principles of necessity and as a measure of last resort. All measures taken by Pakistan constitute legitimate defensive actions against sanctuaries and bases used for planning, training and launching terrorist attacks inside Pakistan,” Sadiq said.
Sadiq said that the scale and scope of Pakistan’s actions represent restraint, particularly in light of the severity of the challenge the country faces.
He said that Pakistan desires peace and stability in the region and has remained patiently engaged in political and diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. “However, it is unfortunate that Pakistan’s numerous goodwill gestures and highly responsible approach were misconstrued, resulting in increased terrorist attacks from Afghan soil, with the active support and backing of the Taliban Regime.”
Pakistan reiterated its strong resolve and determination to uproot the menace of terrorism emanating from across the border. “We call upon the Afghan authorities to end the impunity with which terrorist groups continue to operate from their soil,” Sadiq said.
“We also hope that countries in the region will work together to address the sources of instability in our immediate neighbourhood, with a view to achieving our collective objectives of regional peace, stability and prosperity.”
Pakistan also demanded that the Taliban regime take concrete and verifiable actions against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.
“We expected the Taliban Regime would take concrete and verifiable actions against those terrorist groups. Regrettably, they failed to act in complete disregard for the legitimate security concerns of Pakistan and other countries. We hope that the Taliban will honour their commitments made to the international community.”
Sadiq said Pakistan and Afghanistan are immediate neighbours having historical relations and fraternal bonds. He said that peace and stability in Afghanistan are in the national interest of Pakistan.
Sadiq said that in the period after August 2021, Pakistan joined the regional countries in the efforts to help stabilise the situation in Afghanistan and address the humanitarian needs of people of Afghanistan.
“As a close neighbour, Pakistan engaged at the highest level, facilitated humanitarian relief efforts, and provided visas to vulnerable Afghans. Pakistan also extended trade and transit incentives to support the Afghan economy, participated in regional initiatives and connectivity projects, and remained at the forefront of the efforts to facilitate Afghanistan’s integration into the international community.”
Sadiq said that Pakistan’s endeavours were driven by shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. “Our regional engagement had been central to assisting the Afghan authorities as they worked towards rebuilding their country.”
However, despite these efforts, Afghanistan stands at a critical juncture, Sadiq said. “The country faces a deteriorating humanitarian crisis, and is grappling with multiple challenges driven by severe food insecurity, extreme climate shocks, water scarcity, and recurrent natural disasters and a permissive environment allowing terrorism to grow.”
“While it remains essential to call for sustained support, it is equally imperative to assess the progress towards resolving the legitimate concerns of regional states and the wider international community,” Sadiq said.
“Continuing restrictions on women and girls, absence of any meaningful efforts to ensure broad-based governance, and the lack of progress on counterterrorism commitments, not only impede Afghanistan’s long-term development and stability, but they also threaten regional security and undermine our collective efforts towards regional peace and prosperity,” Sadiq noted.
Sadiq called for careful reflection on the situation in Afghanistan. “There is a need to ask whether the Taliban Regime’s policies have advanced the collective objective of helping ordinary Afghans, and whether these policies have helped Afghanistan in responding to the legitimate concerns of the immediate neighbours.”
