Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif has said efforts to resolve security disputes with the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan have failed, accusing Kabul of refusing to provide written guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used for attacks against Pakistan, according to The Khaama Press News Agency.

Asif said Pakistan had repeatedly sought formal assurances that militant groups would not operate from Afghan soil. He said these were not provided. He added that any future dialogue would require clear, written commitments on counterterrorism cooperation.

Pakistan has long accused the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups of using safe havens in Afghanistan to launch attacks. Kabul has consistently rejected the allegations, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.

The latest remarks come despite several rounds of talks held in Doha, Istanbul, Riyadh and Urumqi aimed at reducing tensions between the two neighbours. Relations remain strained over border security, militant violence and mutual accusations of interference.

Asif said more than 4,300 Pakistani soldiers and civilians have been killed in militant attacks since 2022, underscoring Islamabad’s concerns over cross-border security threats.

His comments came during a visit to Pakistan by British minister Hamish Falconer, who said Afghan territory should not be used for attacks against any country and called for dialogue to ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Tensions escalated last week after Pakistan carried out air strikes in eastern Afghanistan, saying it had targeted members of the TTP. Authorities said 13 civilians were killed and 14 others injured. These figures were later confirmed by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).