Afghan diplomat denies harbouring militants, calls for open trade borders with Pakistan

Mawlawi Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, Afghanistan’s acting ambassador to Pakistan, denied accusations on Tuesday that his country supports cross-border militancy, urging Pakistan to open all border crossings for trade to bolster bilateral relations. 

Speaking at a forum hosted by the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad, Shakeeb underscored Afghanistan’s stance against harbouring militants and reaffirmed a commitment to improved trade ties.

“Afghan soil is not being used against Pakistan,” Shakeeb stated, dismissing claims by Pakistani authorities that Afghanistan serves as a launch pad for attacks orchestrated by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). 

Islamabad has recently accused TTP fighters of using Afghanistan as a base and alleges that the Afghan Taliban have allowed the group a haven along the shared border. The Afghan Taliban deny these allegations, though TTP pledges loyalty to them despite being a separate faction.

Shakeeb acknowledged that “some elements” might be infiltrating Pakistan but insisted this was contrary to Afghanistan’s policy: “Our policy is very clear, we don’t support these elements.” 

He added that Afghan authorities had apprehended several individuals attempting to cross into Pakistan, underscoring a need for “effective negotiations” between the two nations to manage border security.

The Afghan diplomat also addressed Pakistan’s border restrictions, which have required strict visa and passport checks since last year due to mounting security concerns. The increased scrutiny disrupts longstanding cultural and economic exchanges, especially affecting Pashtun communities living along the Durand Line. 

Historically, these communities have freely moved across the border for commerce and family life, but Pakistani authorities now mandate passports and visas, documents that many locals lack.

“This [militancy issue] should not affect trade or lead to border closures,” Shakeeb argued, proposing that Afghanistan’s strategic location could make it a valuable trade corridor for Pakistan and Central Asia. 

He noted that political and security challenges had delayed realising this potential but that Afghan officials are actively engaging with Pakistan to address trade obstacles.

“Our trade ties with Pakistan are affected due to different challenges, but we are committed to addressing them,” Shakeeb remarked, indicating ongoing discussions between Afghan and Pakistani commerce ministries aimed at restoring the full scope of bilateral trade.