Islamabad – A condolence message issued by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid over casualties during the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protests has triggered sharp debate across Pakistan, with officials and analysts describing it as a politically motivated attempt to exploit Pakistan’s internal law-and-order situation.
In his October 13 statement titled “Message of Condolence Regarding the Shooting of Protestors and Their Casualties in Pakistan,” Mujahid claimed that Pakistan’s military had opened fire on protestors, alleging that “direct gunfire and violent attacks” by the army caused “significant casualties and financial losses among the civilian population.”
“We are profoundly saddened and deeply affected by such violence and the tragic loss of life inflicted upon innocent civilians,” Mujahid wrote, extending “heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased” and urging Islamabad “to cease any further acts of violence against their people and to pursue resolution through dialogue and mutual understanding.”
Islamabad Rejects the Allegation
Pakistani officials have not formally responded to the statement but privately dismissed it as “misinformed and hypocritical,” noting that no military units were deployed against demonstrators.
Security officials clarified that law-enforcement operations were led by police and civil administration, following violent clashes in which a station house officer was killed and several others injured.
“It was a law-and-order enforcement action. No sovereign state allows armed mobs to paralyze its capital or attack police under religious pretexts.” one senior interior-ministry source told HTN.
Analysts described the Taliban’s statement as part of a broader propaganda pattern emerging from Kabul following recent friction along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border.
They also noted that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its most recent press release on 12 October, officially referred to Kabul as the “Taliban regime” rather than the “Afghan Interim Government”, a marked diplomatic downgrade signaling Islamabad’s growing frustration with Afghanistan’s conduct.
This linguistic shift, subtle but powerful, underscores that Pakistan no longer views Kabul’s rulers as cooperative partners but as an unaccountable regime enabling instability along the frontier.
Critics Call It “Propaganda in Disguise”
Political observers in Islamabad and Peshawar viewed the message as an attempt to posture morally while deflecting attention from Afghanistan’s internal failures.
“It is ironic that the same regime sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group responsible for killing hundreds of Pakistanis, now claims concern for ‘innocent lives’,” a retired Pakistani diplomat remarked.
Human-rights advocates also called out what they described as selective outrage from Kabul. Afghanistan, they noted, remains one of the world’s most repressive states, where women are banned from education and work, public protests are outlawed, and journalists face imprisonment or disappearance.
Analysts pointed out that Islamabad’s latest MOFA language, calling the rulers in Kabul a “Taliban regime”, reflects this growing disillusionment with Afghanistan’s moral posturing. The term aligns with Pakistan’s new policy tone which is assertive, conditional, and focused on accountability rather than brotherhood.
Linkages and Regional Undercurrents
Security analysts argue that Mujahid’s statement cannot be separated from recent geopolitical alignments, as Kabul deepens engagement with India, which has historically backed anti-Pakistan narratives. They also warned that such statements echo Indian talking points, particularly those seeking to portray Pakistan as unstable or oppressive.
“The Islamic Emirate’s credibility in humanitarian matters is near zero,” one senior security analyst said. “If Kabul is truly concerned about civilian lives, it should dismantle TTP sanctuaries on its soil rather than lecture Pakistan on governance.”
Experts further noted that this episode comes just a day after Islamabad’s foreign office stopped using the diplomatic phrase “Afghan Interim Government.” The shift to “Taliban regime,” they said, mirrors Pakistan’s recalibrated doctrine, moving from restraint to deterrence, and from neighbourly patience to defensive realism.
Background: The TLP Protests
The TLP demonstrations began earlier in October over the party’s demand to march toward Islamabad in protest of international policies on Gaza. The rallies turned violent when armed participants attacked police, leading to casualties and property damage in Lahore and other cities.
Authorities described the unrest as an “unlawful attempt to paralyze the capital,” emphasizing that the state differentiates between lawful protest and violent anarchy.
The Broader Picture
Analysts say Kabul’s tone marks a departure from traditional Afghan diplomacy, which historically avoided public commentary on Pakistan’s domestic affairs. The move comes amid a sharp rise in cross-border attacks from militants operating inside Afghanistan and renewed Pakistani warnings that patience is wearing thin.
By labeling Kabul’s rulers a “regime,” Islamabad has effectively ended its phase of diplomatic indulgence, framing Afghanistan not as a troubled neighbour but as a security liability.
For Islamabad, Mujahid’s remarks represent not condolence but narrative interference, a propaganda move under a humanitarian mask.
For Kabul, the statement underscores its increasing use of media diplomacy to shift attention away from internal repression and deteriorating security.
In the evolving regional equation, words now matter, and Pakistan’s choice to call Kabul a “Taliban regime” instead of an “interim government” signals that Islamabad’s tolerance has reached its limit.
