Pakistan rejects Taliban weapons smuggling claim

Pakistan's India — Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rejected the Afghan Taliban regime's claim that weapons are being smuggled from Pakistan into Afghanistan for subversive activities, calling the allegation 'frivolous, baseless and contrary to established facts'. The ministry noted that Afghanistan already possesses weapons worth an estimated $7.2 billion abandoned by US and coalition forces, plus large stocks of Soviet-era weaponry. It accused the Taliban of diverting attention from the presence of terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil that facilitate attacks inside Pakistan. Pakistan urged the Taliban to take action against terrorist groups and honor commitments not to allow Afghan soil to be used for terrorism. The dispute follows a series of cross-border terrorist incidents and failed negotiations since the Taliban took power in 2021.