Taliban Ready to Issue Anti-TTP Fatwa if Pakistan Grants Recognition, Claims Nematullah Ebrahimi

Kabul/Islamabad – In recent weeks, Afghanistan has witnessed an unusual and significant development that has reopened debate over the Taliban’s religious authority, political strategy, and relations with neighboring states.

According to emerging reports, senior Taliban leaders in Kandahar, under the supervision of Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada, held a high-level meeting to discuss the possibility of issuing a fatwa on the ongoing conflict in Pakistan and the actions of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Regional sources claim the proposed fatwa is being internally linked to Pakistan’s formal recognition of the Taliban government.

The claim first surfaced through Afghan-born researcher Nematullah Ibrahimi, a senior fellow at the University of Melbourne, in an interview with Afghanistan International. He argues that the development reflects deepening political-religious competition within the Taliban’s internal structure, where the use of religious authority as a political tool has become increasingly pronounced.

The disclosures have triggered a wider debate across the region: Are the Taliban now prepared to use religious decrees as instruments of foreign policy?

A Fatwa as Leverage?

Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban government have remained tense for more than two years. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of allowing TTP to operate from Afghan soil, while the Taliban leadership insists that Pakistan’s conflict is an “internal matter.”

The recent Kandahar discussions mark the first time sources have indicated that Afghanistan’s religious leadership may be willing to declare the TTP-led conflict in Pakistan as “un-Islamic,”but only on the condition that Pakistan formally recognizes the Taliban government.

Earlier, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Rahmatullah Najeeb claimed that Pakistan made a similar request during Istanbul talks, allegedly demanding that Kabul issue a fatwa declaring TTP’s actions religiously impermissible.

Such conditions have intensified concerns that the Taliban may be using religious rulings as bargaining chips in diplomatic negotiations.

Religious Edict or Political Calculation?

Analysts argue that the Taliban’s approach ties sacred religious authority directly to political incentives. Experts note that whether a war is “Islamic” or “un-Islamic” should not depend on another state’s political recognition. Critics insist that if the Taliban are willing to issue a fatwa in exchange for diplomatic legitimacy, it signals that religion is being deployed as a strategic tool.

The Taliban have long faced accusations of reshaping religious interpretations to suit political, military, and economic interests. Their past positions, whether on the definition of jihad, targeted killings, restrictions on women’s education, or their interpretation of international norms, are often cited as evidence of this pattern.

Against this backdrop, critics argue that the same Taliban who historically justified suicide bombings, executions, forced marriages, smuggling, and extortion under religious arguments now appear willing to use a fatwa as a bargaining instrument to ease tensions with Pakistan.

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Implications for Pakistan–Afghanistan Relations

Experts say that if the Taliban indeed issue a religious decree under pressure or in exchange for recognition, it could reshape not only the future of TTP but also bilateral relations between the two countries. For Pakistan, such a move could be framed as a diplomatic win, but it would likely deepen rifts within the Taliban’s internal factions, some of which already hold strong anti-Pakistan views.

So far, neither Islamabad nor Kabul has released an official statement confirming or denying the discussions. Nevertheless, regional observers view the development as a critical indicator of shifting political and religious dynamics that could redefine the future landscape of Afghan–Pakistan relations.