Islamabad – Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, has issued a sharp warning to regional countries, including Pakistan, after an Islamabad-based research institute announced it will host a two-day dialogue involving Afghan exiles, women activists and political figures.

Speaking in Kabul on 19 August, during ceremonies marking Afghanistan’s 106th Independence Day, Muttaqi declared that Afghanistan had built a “very good system” and told neighbors to “stop dreaming bad dreams for Afghanistan.”

“Alhamdulillah, the system is progressing in a very good way. Now, whether it is neighbors or other countries, they should stop dreaming bad dreams for Afghanistan. Afghanistan is now united. After many experiences, Afghanistan has established a very good system. Those who are throwing stones at us, for them Rahman Baba’s verse is enough: the arrow you shoot at others will return towards you,” Muttaqi told the gathering, where Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub was also present.

He then quoted Pashto Sufi poet Rahman Baba, warning that hostile acts would be met in kind.

Islamabad’s Stance: Dialogue, Not Provocation

Muttaqi’s comments came ahead of a conference organized by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University in Islamabad on August 25–26. The event, announced by SASSI chairperson Dr. Maria Sultan, will bring together Afghan leaders and women activists to discuss peace, stability, and the region’s future.

“This will also provide an opportunity for Afghans to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and adopt a joint stance,” Sultan told Dawn. She clarified that the dialogue was “not against the Taliban or other Afghan political parties” and stressed it was the start of a longer “Islamabad Process.”

Former Afghan lawmaker Fawzia Koofi, who confirmed her participation, told Dawn:

“Engagement with regional countries is key in influencing the situation in Afghanistan. If regional countries, including Pakistan, are willing to provide a space for such dialogue, this should be welcomed as a positive step.”

Koofi added that Afghan women “are enduring one of the most repressive realities in the world today” and must be allowed to speak.

Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former envoy for Kabul, defended Islamabad’s right to host an academic exercise. He pointedly remarked to Dawn:

“As regards anti-Taliban composition, then the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are anti-Pakistan and enjoying the Afghan Taliban’s hospitality. So, any objections to the above lines are uncalled for.”

A Reality Check for Kabul

While Kabul accuses Pakistan of harboring anti-Taliban exiles, multiple reports indicate it is the Taliban government that shelters and finances militants targeting Pakistan and the region.

A United Nations Security Council monitoring team report released on 12 February 2025 detailed how the TTP and more than 20 other militant groups, including al-Qaeda, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have expanded inside Afghanistan.

The report’s key findings include:

• Taliban logistical, operational and financial support for TTP.
• TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud’s family receiving around 3 million Afghanis ($43,000) monthly.
• New TTP training centers in Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika.
• BLA operatives, including Nadir Marri, Fazli, Lalu, Zurain and Yasmeen Baloch, reported to be sheltering in Farah and Badghis provinces.

Despite repeated Pakistani delegations to Kabul, including visits by the ISI chief, corps commanders, ulema, senators, journalists, and government envoys, the Taliban leadership has made little progress on dismantling militant sanctuaries. This defiance runs contrary to Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada’s decree against using Afghan soil for cross-border militancy.

Also See: Pakistan Rejects Khalilzad’s Claims, Calls Afghan Exile Conference Academic, Not Political

Regional Unease

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has not yet commented on Muttaqi’s warning. But analysts note the irony. Kabul threatens retaliation over a civilian dialogue in Islamabad, while it continues to provide cover to groups like the TTP and BLA.

Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad labeled Pakistan’s hosting of Afghan exiles “hugely unwise,” but Afghan participants such as Koofi dismissed his concerns, insisting that space for political dialogue is vital for their country’s future.

For Islamabad, the message is clear. The conference is about peacebuilding and inclusion, not destabilization. For Kabul, however, the real test lies in dismantling the terror infrastructure it continues to host, rather than reciting Rahman Baba to deflect responsibility.