His remarks came hours after Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid alleged that Pakistan had “bombed” Khost and launched air strikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces—claims categorically rejected by Pakistan’s military spokesperson.

Pakistan’s defence minister says efforts to rebuild ties with the Taliban have “completely failed,” accusing Kabul of reversing the relationship and ignoring Islamabad’s support.

Pakistan's military says troops have raided two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country’s northwest near the Afghan border, triggering intense shootouts that left 23 militants dead.

In a significant shift from years of diplomatic firefighting on its western frontier, Pakistan has finally recalibrated its Afghan policy, moving away from any notion of appeasing the Afghan Taliban and instead now following a "waiting game" to unravel things in the neighbouring country.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday, reiterating its call for the Afghan Taliban to cease support for terrorist outfits, made it clear that responsibility for the continued closure of border crossings, disruption of bilateral trade and delays in key regional connectivity projects squarely rested with the Afghan government.

The more hostile and uncompromising Pakistan’s approach becomes, the more likely Afghanistan is to accelerate its search for alternative trade routes and partners.

Pakistan is exploring political options for a potential power shift in Kabul, reviving contacts with Afghan opposition groups amid

Afghanistan is scrambling to diversify its trade partners after a deadly border clash with Pakistan last month brought ties to their lowest point in years, affecting people on both sides of the frontier.