Taliban Now A Threat To Pakistan’s National Security, Says Former Pak Diplomat

Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani ambassador to the United States has said that the Taliban has become a threat to Pakistan's national security.

In a brief note on X social media platform, Haqqani referred to the evolution of Pakistan's policy towards the Taliban from 2001 to 2024.

The former Pakistani diplomat said that Islamabad had stated in 2001 that Pakistan does not support the Taliban. Later, Pakistani politicians said, "We are hedging against Indian influence by supporting the good Taliban."

Haqqani added that following the Taliban's victory, Pakistani authorities said, “Taliban have broken the shackles of slavery by forcing the US out.” He pointed to a speech by Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, who stated on August 16, 2021, one day after the Taliban entered Kabul, that Afghans had broken the shackles of slavery.

According to him, now in 2024, Pakistan believes that the Taliban has become a threat to the security of the country.

These statements come amid further deterioration in relations between the Taliban and Islamabad following Pakistan's airstrikes in the provinces of Khost and Paktika on March 18.

Following the attacks along the border in Paktia province, clashes erupted between the Taliban and Pakistani border guards. In response, the Taliban's Defence Ministry released an image of Mullah Yaqoob, the Taliban's defence minister, dressed in military attire.