Both sides step away from public discourse to reestablish ties; Pakistan insists on verifiable counter-terrorism measures
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Afghanistan appear to be making renewed but cautious efforts to overcome their deep-seated differences over the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with recent developments suggesting a deliberate effort by both sides to tone down public posturing, even as a broader breakthrough remains elusive.
While a visible impasse persists over key security concerns, particularly Islamabad’s demand that Afghan soil not be used for cross-border attacks, behind-the-scenes diplomacy appears to have produced at least one tangible result: a relaxation of rhetoric and an emphasis on dialogue rather than confrontation.
Sources said mediators wanted both sides to at least reduce their public rhetoric to create a positive atmosphere for negotiations. According to them, the mediators persuaded the Taliban regime in Kabul to take certain steps such as issuing a fatwa and an unambiguous public statement from their leaders on responding to Pakistan’s security challenges.
This shift was reflected in a series of carefully worded statements from Kabul and Islamabad last week, following a major religious intervention by Afghan clerics.
Afghan ulama recently issued a fatwa banning Afghans from carrying out attacks beyond the country’s borders, a move hailed in Islamabad as a potential confidence-building measure rather than a definitive solution.
Soon after the fatwa, Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani publicly assured Pakistan that Afghan soil would not be used against any other country. His remarks were widely seen by Pakistani officials as part of a broader attempt to ease tensions and restore a minimum level of trust.
On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed Haqqani’s statement, welcoming the emphasis on resolving outstanding issues through negotiation rather than confrontation.
Kabul’s response was quick.
On Sunday, Sirajuddin Haqqani welcomed Dar’s remarks as well as a separate statement issued by Pakistani religious scholars in Karachi, which had urged the two governments to resolve their differences through dialogue. Haqqani stressed the importance of engagement, signaling Kabul’s receptiveness to non-military avenues to ease tensions.
Earlier, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed the scholars’ call, emphasizing that religious leaders have historically played a constructive role during periods of tension and often helped guide societies toward prudent decisions.
The growing involvement of religious voices on both sides appears aimed at creating political and moral space conducive to de-escalation at a time when formal diplomatic channels are struggling to produce results.
Despite several rounds of negotiations, progress has been limited. Following the inconclusive end to recent talks between delegations from the Taliban regime and Pakistan, Dar confirmed that further engagements had taken place in Saudi Arabia.
However, he acknowledged that these talks, like those previously held by Turkey and Qatar, did not produce concrete results.
This admission underlines the depth of the impasse. Pakistan has repeatedly insisted that improving ties depends on verifiable action against the TTP, which Islamabad says operates from Afghan territory.
Kabul, for its part, has maintained that it does not allow its territory to be used against any country, while often presenting the issue as an internal challenge within Pakistan.
Speaking about recent security developments, Dar said Islamabad was closely monitoring the events of the past weeks and months, stressing that any improvement in relations depended on the Afghan side fulfilling its commitments.
“What happened last month, what changed last week and what improvements followed these actions… they know very well that if some of our demands, especially in the fight against terrorism, are met, the impact will be very substantial,” Dar said.
The Foreign Minister stressed that Pakistan was not seeking rhetorical assurances but concrete measures, particularly in the area of anti-terrorism cooperation. According to the officials, Islamabad believes that even limited and visible action could help change the current trajectory of bilateral relations.
Dar also welcomed the fatwa issued by Afghan religious scholars banning fighting beyond Afghan territory, describing it as a positive signal. He expressed appreciation for Haqqani’s statement reaffirming that Afghan soil would not be used against other countries.
“I believe that if they seriously implement the commitments made in the two fatwas and the recent statement of Sirajuddin Haqqani, and if a noticeable difference is seen in the next two to four weeks, I am confident that our government, the Prime Minister and the Marshal will be happy to reconsider the matter,” he said.
The reference to a defined time window suggests that Islamabad is seeking early indicators of change, rather than unlimited assurances. For now, both sides appear to be calibrating their approach, avoiding public escalation, welcoming conciliatory language and allowing religious actors to play a mediating role.
It remains to be seen whether this softer tone will translate into concrete actions on the ground. Nonetheless, the recent exchange of statements marks a break from the harsh rhetoric that characterized much of the last year, providing a narrow opening for engagement at a time when Islamabad and Kabul face growing internal and regional pressures.
