Spokesman Mujahid Zabihullah of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has leveled baseless allegations against Pakistan in regard to the operations of ISIS-K. This matter needs to be looked into in accordance with various reports and facts available regarding the past conduct of both countries, to analyse the truth.
The ISIS-K or the Islamic State Khorasan Province did not originate from Pakistan. It started off in the year 2015 in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The initial operation of the group occurred in the Afghan regions of Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces. It has been mentioned in various reports of the United Nations that the country served as a hub for ISIS-K activities.
An important event occurred in the month of August 2021. As the Taliban regime captured Afghanistan, the large prison center at Bagram was opened and several thousands of prisoners were set free. This included various ISIS-K terrorists who were imprisoned by the old authorities of Afghanistan. Reports, even from American officials, showed that among those killed during the Kabul airport bombing attack, which took place soon after the Taliban took power, was one terrorist who had just been released from the Bagram facility days prior.
In recent years, global evaluations have repeatedly highlighted Afghanistan as a fertile ground for the activities of ISIS-K and its affiliates. The United Nations Security Council reports of 2025 and early 2026 have shown the inability of the Taliban-led regime in failing to abolish completely the existence of the terrorist group. In accordance with the report of the Global Terrorism Index of 2026 released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Pakistan saw the largest death toll due to terror incidents in the last three years amounting to 1,139 in 2025, six percent higher compared to the previous year. Some of the instances include the suicide bombing on a Shia mosque in Islamabad in February 2025 that killed 31 people, committed by ISIS-K supporters from Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s reaction has been in practical form. The security agencies have launched operations against the ISIS-K networks. Pakistani officials have detained some ISIS-K members, including those who have planned attacks outside Pakistan. However, despite all the efforts, the country still pays a huge price. Civilians, the security forces, and even religious places are still under threat. Intelligence reports from Pakistan and independent observers confirm that many of the attacks in the regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan originated from across the border too.
The overall performance of Pakistan against terrorism is widely acknowledged. In the last twenty years, the nation has sacrificed many of its citizens while confronting extremist groups. Actions taken under initiatives such as the National Action Plan have minimized terrorism within the nation. However, the emergence of ISIS-K and TTP (which is now called Fitnah Al Khawarij (FAK)) since 2021 has, in several documents published by the United Nations and regionally, been related to the existence of safe havens in Afghanistan.
Clearly, Pakistan and Afghanistan are countries that are closely linked culturally, religiously, and geographically. Pakistan has consistently assisted its neighbor country in restoring peace and has housed many refugees from Afghanistan. Presently, Pakistan is more concerned about constructive dialogue regarding the issue of terrorism and its causes. Recent cases at the border of Pakistan that took place in 2026 as a consequence of defense against any upcoming threat are valid justifications of the operation conducted by Pakistan.
Simply put, from both evidence and experience, it can be concluded that ISIS-K poses a great threat to the whole region, operating safely from afghan soil. Although Pakistan continues to interfere with the operations of these terrorist groups, there have been reports from UN officials about the necessity of taking further actions in Afghanistan to stop the groups from using Afghan territory.
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