Post-Doha Reality And The Afghan Taliban’s Failure To Deliver Peace – OpEd
When the Doha Agreement was signed, it was heralded as a milestone for regional peace—a promise that Afghanistan, under Taliban control, would never again serve as a haven for international terrorism. Yet, four years later, the very soil that was meant to nurture peace has become the epicenter of renewed instability.
Pakistan, more than any other country, has borne the brunt of this betrayal. Despite its decades of sacrifices for Afghanistan—hosting millions of refugees, lobbying globally for humanitarian aid, and advocating for frozen Afghan assets to be released—Pakistan now finds itself under relentless assault from cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan territory. The Taliban’s failure to honor its Doha commitments has turned hope into hostility, forcing Islamabad to reconsider the limits of patience and diplomacy.
The post-Doha landscape is defined by one grim reality: Afghanistan continues to harbor anti-Pakistan terrorist groups, primarily the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Despite repeated assurances from Kabul, these groups operate openly from Afghan soil, launching deadly attacks across Pakistan’s western border. Recent intelligence and on-ground evidence reveal that over 60 terrorist camps of TTP and its affiliates function across Afghan provinces like Kunar, Nuristan, Paktika, and Khost. From these sanctuaries, more than 4,000 militants have infiltrated Pakistan since June 2025—an alarming 48% increase compared to the previous year. These figures aren’t speculative—they are supported by the 36th UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team Report (July 2025), which confirms the presence of Al-Qaeda and TTP fighters operating freely under Taliban supervision.
The report states that TTP maintains around 6,000 active fighters, receiving “logistical, financial, and operational support” from the Taliban regime. Even more damning is the revelation that three new joint training sites for TTP and Al-Qaeda have been established under Taliban oversight. This not only violates the Doha Agreement but also exposes the hypocrisy of Kabul’s repeated claims that Afghan soil is not being used against others.
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, Pakistan has consistently pursued peaceful engagement. It kept its embassy in Kabul open when the world abandoned the country. It facilitated safe evacuations during the chaotic Western withdrawal and championed Afghan humanitarian relief in every global forum—from the United Nations to the Economic Cooperation Organization.
Islamabad sent multiple high-level delegations to Kabul, including those led by the Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, and the DG ISI, to address border management and counterterrorism. Religious and tribal delegations—such as the 8-member ulema mission led by Mufti Taqi Usmani—also sought to mediate peace between the Taliban and the TTP. However, these efforts yielded little. Kabul responded to Pakistan’s goodwill with denial and deception. The Taliban regime not only allowed TTP networks to thrive but also facilitated their expansion. The TTP’s leadership, including its chief Noor Wali Mehsud, reportedly resides in Kabul, receiving monthly financial assistance. This amounts to state-backed terrorism, a direct breach of both international norms and the Taliban’s own religious rhetoric of brotherhood with Pakistan.
Pakistan has shown extraordinary restraint. For decades, it absorbed the consequences of Afghan instability—socially, economically, and in terms of security. But the escalation of cross-border terrorism has left Islamabad with no choice but to reassess its policy of strategic patience. Each attack on Pakistani soil—whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan—carries unmistakable Afghan fingerprints. In recent operations, Pakistani forces neutralized 267 Afghan nationals fighting alongside TTP elements, further proving the cross-border nexus. Weapons used in these attacks—M4s, M16s, and night vision gear—are traced back to abandoned U.S. stockpiles in Afghanistan, now circulating freely through Taliban networks.
The international community can no longer ignore what is now a matter of record. The UN Monitoring Team, independent security assessments, and multiple intelligence sources confirm that Afghanistan has become a permissive environment for terrorism. This poses not just a threat to Pakistan, but to the entire region—including Central Asia and China’s western belt under CPEC. While mediators such as Qatar and Turkey played key roles in facilitating the Doha process, they too now have stakes in holding the Taliban accountable. The credibility of the agreement depends on compliance. If the Taliban continues to harbor and train terrorists, the very framework of international peace efforts collapses.
The post-Doha reality is stark: the Taliban has failed to act as a responsible government or a trustworthy neighbor. Its protection of TTP and other militant groups constitutes a betrayal not only of Pakistan but of its own promises before the world. Pakistan’s position is clear. It seeks peace, stability, and cooperation—but not at the cost of its sovereignty. Any further provocations will be met with firm and proportionate responses. Kabul must now make a historic choice: to act as a responsible, brotherly neighbor or to remain complicit in destabilizing the region.
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