Sahibzada Muhammad Usman
The arrest of an alleged Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) operative in Pakistan has reignited long-simmering tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, with both sides trading pointed accusations over the transnational terrorist group’s operational base.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, seized on the detention of Mohammad Sharifullah to assert that Pakistan, not Afghanistan, offers ISKP safe havens. This claim, however, has been met with vehement rebuttals from Pakistani authorities, who argue that Afghanistan’s lax border controls and ineffective counterterrorism strategies have allowed ISKP militants to infiltrate Pakistan, destabilizing regional security. Pakistan says Sharifullah is an Afghan national, a claim denied by the Taliban. The exchange underscores a deepening rift between the neighboring nations, which each attempting to deflect blame while the threat of ISKP looms larger.
Mujahid’s statement framed Sharifullah’s arrest as irrefutable proof of ISKP’s entrenchment in Pakistan, declaring the group’s activities “unrelated to Afghanistan.” This narrative aligns with the Taliban’s broader effort to position its regime as a responsible governing force that has eradicated terrorism within its borders since retaking power in 2021. By distancing Afghanistan from ISKP’s cross-border operations, the Taliban aim to legitimize their rule and counter international criticism of their counterterrorism record.
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