Islamabad/Kabul – A leaked video circulating online has once again underlined Pakistan’s long-standing concern that militants continue to use Afghanistan as a launching pad for cross-border terrorism.
The footage, obtained by Mahaz, an independent open source intelligence platform on X, purportedly shows an Afghan national named Bilal being given a warm reception by a group of militants upon his return from Pakistan. According to Mahaz, Bilal had recently completed militant operations against Pakistani security forces while fighting alongside Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters. In the video, the flag of the Taliban-led Afghan government is also visible on the wall.
Security Paradox
The latest video comes amid repeated Pakistani warnings that terrorist groups enjoy safe havens inside Afghanistan, undermining regional security. Islamabad has accused militant groups of operating training facilities and sanctuaries across the border.
At a weekly media briefing on Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan underscored Islamabad’s official position, reiterating that Afghanistan’s interim authorities bear responsibility for addressing the presence of such groups on their soil.
“Afghanistan is a close neighbor. We want a brotherly relationship, as it should be between two good neighbors. But the core impediment remains the sanctuaries enjoyed by the terrorists there,” the FO spokesperson said.
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had delivered a clear message to Kabul: “Afghanistan has to select: Pakistan or the TTP. This is a policy statement that has been communicated through diplomatic channels. We hope our Afghan friends will make the right choice, choosing friendship and neighborly relations with Pakistan.”
International Obligations
Pakistan’s concerns have also been raised at the United Nations. Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, recently highlighted that terrorism emanating from Afghan soil remains the “gravest threat” to Pakistan’s national security.
“The Taliban authorities must also fulfill their international obligations on counterterrorism,” Ambassador Akram said. He pointed out that more than 60 terrorist camps continue to operate from Afghan territory, providing training, resources, and safe passage to militants staging attacks across the border.
Ambassador Akram warned that groups such as TTP, Al-Qaeda, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and the Baloch miliatnt including its suicide wing Majeed Brigade continue to exploit these sanctuaries, complicating Pakistan’s security landscape.
Escalating Cross-Border Tensions
The leaked video is the latest in a series of developments that have put additional strain on already fraught Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Over the past year, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks, many of which officials attribute to operatives crossing from Afghan soil.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to act decisively against militant groups but says the response has been insufficient. While Afghan Taliban authorities deny harboring militants, Pakistani officials insist that evidence, including videos such as the one released by Mahaz, suggests otherwise.
