KP chief minister’s remarks on terrorism evidence termed misleading

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s recent remarks seeking evidence of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan have been termed misleading, irresponsible and contrary to established facts by security experts and analysts.

Experts said the statement appeared to deliberately create ambiguity in Pakistan’s national narrative against terrorism, despite what they described as extensive and well-documented evidence available at national and international levels.

They noted that Pakistan has repeatedly shared credible and verifiable evidence with the Taliban regime regarding the facilitation and presence of terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.

They rejected the chief minister’s claim that other neighbouring countries had not raised concerns about terrorism from Afghanistan, calling it factually incorrect.

Analysts pointed out that Afghanistan has become a recognised safe haven for multiple terrorist organisations, a situation that has caused serious concern among all neighbouring states.

Experts cited Iran’s ongoing expulsion of illegal Afghan refugees on security grounds as one example. They also referred to incidents in the wider region, including the killing of five Chinese workers in two separate attacks originating from Afghanistan in Tajikistan last year.

China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, has also publicly questioned the continued presence and activities of terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Afghan soil and their involvement in cross-border attacks.

According to a recent United Nations Security Council report, several banned organisations, including ISIS, TTP, Al-Qaeda and Jamaat Ansarullah, are actively operating in Afghanistan.

The report states that the TTP has launched numerous attacks on Pakistan from Afghan territory, posing a major security threat. It further notes that in 2025 alone, the TTP carried out around 600 attacks inside Pakistan, many of which were foiled by Pakistani security forces.

International publications have echoed similar concerns. The journal Eurasia Review has described Afghanistan as a global terrorist haven, stating that the evidence supporting this assessment is “overwhelming and undeniable.”

The publication noted that following the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has rapidly evolved into a centre of international terrorism. It also reported that the killer of two National Guardsmen in Washington, DC, was an Afghan national with alleged links to terrorist networks active in Afghanistan.

Other international outlets, including The Diplomat and DW, have also reported that Afghanistan has become a refuge for terrorist organisations. According to experts cited in these reports, a significant proportion of terrorist attacks in Pakistan involve Afghan nationals.

Security analysts said that authentic evidence and reports from international organisations strongly support Pakistan’s position at the global level. They added that key leaders of banned outfits, including Noor Wali, Bashir Zeb and Gul Bahadur, are known to be present in Afghanistan.

Experts expressed concern that the chief minister’s remarks could be interpreted as showing undue leniency towards terrorist elements, warning that such statements risk undermining national efforts against extremism and terrorism.