Islamabad –  Pakistan’s security forces have raised alarm over growing evidence of Afghan nationals directly participating in militant violence inside its territory, warning that the surge in cross-border attacks by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is straining Islamabad’s already fragile ties with Kabul.

Afghan Nationals in TTP Ranks

Recent intelligence reports and open-source investigations have identified Afghan security personnel and officials moonlighting as TTP fighters. One such case involved Noor Rahman alias Sarhadi, an Afghan national and former security department employee in Nangarhar, who was killed in Bajaur during a targeted Pakistani operation on September 26.

According to Mahaz, an independent open source intelligence platform on X, Noor attempted to join TTP twice while still serving in Afghanistan’s security forces, before eventually crossing into Pakistan in June 2025 after training in Afghanistan. “He wanted a Facebook post after his death declaring he had sacrificed his life,” Mahaz reported.

Footage circulating online shows Noor posing with American weapons, adding to concerns about abandoned United States military hardware in Afghanistan being funneled into Pakistan for use by militants.

In another case, Rafiullah, a Kandahar resident, was arrested in April 2025 along with 10 associates while entering Pakistan through Chaman. He confessed to being trained for two years in Afghanistan under TTP command to carry out attacks inside Pakistan, the Balochistan government disclosed in September.

Similarly, images released by Mahaz showed Adil, allegedly an Afghan Taliban security member, dressed as a militant in Bajaur’s Loi Mamund area. Earlier this year, Badar Uddin alias Yousuf, son of Badghis deputy governor Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad, was killed fighting alongside TTP in Dera Ismail Khan.

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Almost Daily Attacks Since 2021

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Pakistan’s provinces bordering Afghanistan, have endured near-daily militant attacks since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in August 2021. The violence, which has claimed hundreds of civilian and security lives, is largely attributed to the TTP, a UN-listed terrorist organisation.

While the TTP was once accused of enjoying covert support from the Afghan Taliban, recent investigations suggest deeper overlaps. Officials point to cases where Afghan Taliban government personnel were identified among slain militants, while Pakistan has intercepted and arrested fighters trained in Afghanistan. Islamabad has also handed over the bodies of Afghan nationals killed in cross-border violence, highlighting the extent of militant infiltration.

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Regional and International Concerns

The escalation has prompted warnings from international actors. Former United States Special Envoy Thomas West told Congress in 2024 that the TTP poses a “serious threat to Pakistan’s stability and regional security,” urging the Taliban to dismantle its bases. The United Nations has also raised alarms about militant groups in Afghanistan threatening global security.

At the 80th United Nations General Assembly sidelines in New York, foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, Iran, and Russia pressed Kabul to take “effective, concrete and verifiable actions” against terrorist sanctuaries, halt recruitment, and sever terror financing networks.

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Strained Pakistan–Afghanistan Relations

The footage of militants openly celebrating Afghan nationals returning from operations against Pakistan, with the Taliban’s flag visible in the background, has further fueled Islamabad’s frustrations.

Pakistani officials warn that if cross-border militancy persists, Islamabad may be forced to scale back its political and economic support for Kabul’s de facto rulers, who remain unrecognised internationally.

Talks between both countries have taken place repeatedly, including a July 2025 high-level meeting in Kabul following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit. Pakistan has said the Afghan Taliban expressed willingness to address the issue, but ground realities suggest little has changed.

Future of Bilateral Ties

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said Saturday that Pakistan’s response would be “firm,” suggesting that if diplomacy fails, militants “who understand the language of bullets will be explained with bullets.”

He stressed that terrorism remains Pakistan’s greatest challenge and vowed stronger border controls to prevent infiltration. “Eighty per cent of terrorist attackers are Afghans,” Chaudhry claimed, pledging to make Pakistan safe for investment and stability.

While Pakistan remains one of the few countries informally maintaining ties with Kabul, alongside China and Russia, officials caution that unrestrained militancy could push Islamabad to reconsider its engagement.

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Analysts warn that this blurring of lines between Afghan Taliban officials and TTP fighters complicates bilateral relations, especially as Pakistan continues to press Kabul to dismantle safe havens and rein in cross-border terrorism.

Observers also note that violence spilling across the border has become the central issue in Pakistan–Afghanistan relations.Unless Kabul reins in the TTP, even its closest neighbours may no longer shield it diplomatically.