'Security first, trade later': Afghan border to stay shut indefinitely

Officials say Pakistan wants 'verifiable, irreversible' action by Kabul

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has decided to keep its border crossings with Afghanistan shut for an indefinite period, signalling a hardened stance until the Afghan Taliban regime takes "verifiable and irreversible" action against terrorist outfits, particularly the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Officials told The Express Tribune that the government has conveyed to Kabul that the crossings will not reopen for trade and commercial activity unless concrete steps are taken to eliminate anti-Pakistan elements operating from Afghan soil.

The border closure, now stretching beyond a month, has left thousands of trucks and containers stranded on both sides, crippling bilateral trade and the regional transit route.

At present, the crossing points remain open only for one-way humanitarian movement, primarily to facilitate the return of Afghan refugees and stranded individuals.

"Human lives take precedence over trade and economic considerations," a senior official said, explaining why Islamabad is unwilling to compromise on terrorism concerns.

The decision aligns with Pakistan's sharpened messaging to Kabul. At the weekly press briefing on Friday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi drew a clear red line, ruling out any "meaningful trade or economic engagement" with Afghanistan unless the Taliban regime acts decisively against groups targeting Pakistan.

"Pakistan is a strong proponent of regional trade and connectivity," Andrabi said. "We extended a number of trade concessions to Afghanistan, but these positive gestures have not been reciprocated by the Afghan Taliban regime, which continues to harbour and actively support elements perpetrating terrorism against Pakistan from Afghan soil."

He cited recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Wana, calling them a stark reminder of the threat emanating from across the border.

"Both incidents had deep Afghan fingerprints," he stressed. "In the Islamabad attack, an Afghan national was the suicide bomber. So let this reality sink in in Kabul."

Officials say the latest closure is not a routine border management measure but a strategic policy shift. The Taliban leadership has been privately informed that dialogue cannot continue without demonstrable action against the TTP and the group Pakistan now officially calls Fitna Al-Khawarij (FaK).

The spokesperson dismissed the Afghan Taliban's claim of being "helpless" against the TTP as untenable.

"They claim control over all Afghan territory, yet attacks on Pakistan continue to be orchestrated from Afghan soil," Andrabi said. "Afghan nationals involved in these attacks bear responsibility alongside the groups they harbour."

The standoff has also been sharpened by recent remarks from Taliban authorities warning Afghan traders against relying on Pakistan and urging them to shift business to other countries.

For now, Pakistan appears in no mood to budge. "Security first, trade later" is how one official summed up Islamabad's position.