Taliban Spokesperson Slams Pakistan For Airstrikes And Repatriation, Hails Muttaqui’s India Visit | Exclusive

Last Updated:October 16, 2025, 00:03 IST

Suhail Shaheen asserted that Pakistan’s aggression was a reaction to the success of the Afghanistan delegation's visit to India

Shaheen (above) expressed surprise that the Pakistani strikes occurred while Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqui was in New Delhi. File pic

In an exclusive and strongly-worded interview with CNN-News18, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen on Wednesday condemned Pakistan’s recent actions against Afghanistan, particularly the military airstrikes and the forced repatriation of Afghan refugees, while simultaneously celebrating Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqui’s visit to New Delhi as a major diplomatic success.

Shaheen asserted that Pakistan’s aggression was a reaction to the success of their delegation’s visit to India, claiming the Muttaqui visit was “a big success and beginning of new era" in Afghanistan-India relations. He described the attacks by Pakistan as an “uneven war", accusing them of targeting civilians and Afghan refugees.

Accusations of Inhumane Attacks and Pressure Tactics

The spokesperson directly accused Pakistan of launching airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties, stating that more than 100 people were injured and 10 were killed. He branded this as a “very atrocious and inhumane act to attack civilians" and a “bad assault on the Afghan people", insisting the victims were not military personnel.

Shaheen vehemently denied Pakistan’s claims that the Taliban initiated the conflict, asserting that Pakistan “attacked Taliban first in East of Afghanistan" and that their forces only target “military targets and their posts," with strict instructions to avoid civilians.

He claimed that Pakistan is using both military action and the repatriation of refugees as “pressure tactics", which he vowed the Afghan people would “never accept".

Pakistan’s Opposition to Diplomacy and India’s Role

Highlighting the timing of the attacks, Shaheen expressed surprise that the strikes occurred while Foreign Minister Muttaqui was in New Delhi, stating, “They don’t believe in diplomacy and they don’t want a solution." He argued that Pakistan avoids dialogue, preferring to level accusations in the media and surprise attacks “whenever their delegation is in Kabul or our delegation is out".

He stressed that Afghanistan is an independent country seeking “diplomacy and trade, not dictation", and urged Pakistan to bring “solid proof and not claims" for their allegations. He warned that while their policy is not to attack first, “in future if they attack our side, we will definitely defend our territory and attack them.

Suhail Shaheen concluded by appealing to the international community, particularly India, to condemn Pakistan’s “illegitimate work". He called on the world to expose Pakistan and play a constructive role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, job creation, and development, confirming that the Muttaqui visit was “successful and constructive, fruitful and significant", marking the first step in a “new era between Afghanistan and India".

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

News world Taliban Spokesperson Slams Pakistan For Airstrikes And Repatriation, Hails Muttaqui’s India Visit | Exclusive

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