Pakistan information ministry rejects Afghan Taliban claim that weapons are being smuggled from Pakistan to Afghanistan, calls allegation baseless.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s Information Ministry said the Afghan Taliban’s claim that weapons were being smuggled into Afghanistan from Pakistan was baseless. The ministry characterised the allegation as frivolous and contrary to established facts. It noted that Afghanistan contains vast quantities of sophisticated weapons and military equipment left by the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces. The abandoned equipment is estimated to be worth $7.2 billion, in addition to large stocks of Soviet‑era weapons accumulated over decades. The ministry said attempts to link Pakistan to the weapons were aimed at diverting attention from a more serious issue: terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. It stated that terrorists continue to find space, facilitation and operational freedom in Afghanistan to plan, support and execute attacks inside Pakistan. Instead of blaming Pakistan, the ministry urged Afghan Taliban authorities to address the presence of terrorist sanctuaries on their territory and to keep their commitments that Afghan soil will not be used for acts of terrorism against Pakistan or other countries. Pakistan has repeatedly alleged an Afghanistan‑India nexus behind terrorism in the country. A November 2024 statement by a Pakistani military official warned that the Afghan regime poses a regional threat because of abandoned U.S. equipment and its failure to establish an inclusive government. A 2023 United Nations report found that the outlawed TTP had opened a new base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that Afghan Taliban members had joined the TTP, receiving aid packages from the Taliban. The report also noted a significant increase in Afghan nationals within the TTP ranks.