The growing engagement between the Taliban government and India has sparked deep concern in Pakistan, as cross-border tensions and militant attacks surge along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier.
Pakistan has accused New Delhi of fueling regional instability, following the controversial visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India — the first high-level Taliban visit since 2021. The development has heightened fears in Islamabad that a strategic alignment between the Taliban and India could undermine Pakistan’s security interests.
According to Pakistani security officials, over 100 personnel have been killed in recent attacks originating from Afghan territory, with responsibility claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad alleges that the Taliban are providing safe havens to the TTP, allowing the group to operate freely across the border.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif have both accused India of provoking the Taliban regime against Pakistan, warning that such moves could destabilize the entire region.
Regional analysts say that the emerging Taliban–India nexus signals a shift in South Asia’s power dynamics, as India seeks to expand its influence in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal. For Pakistan, this evolving relationship represents both a strategic and security challenge, potentially opening a new front along its western border.
As Islamabad grapples with rising violence and diplomatic strain, the question remains whether the region can avoid slipping into another cycle of mistrust and confrontation — or whether this new geopolitical equation will redefine the balance of power in post-war Afghanistan.
