Stalemate in Istanbul: Taliban Reject Pakistan’s Request for Fatwa Against TTP

Kabul – High-stakes talks between the Taliban administration of Afghanistan and Pakistan have concluded without agreement, failing to bridge a deep rift over how to handle cross-border militancy and exposing the limits of the Taliban’s influence over their ideological allies.

The negotiations, held in Istanbul, were marked by a significant and revealing demand from Islamabad. According to a senior Taliban official, Pakistan requested that the Afghan Taliban issue a formal fatwa—a religious edict—declaring the insurgency waged by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as “unjust” and religiously prohibited.

Competing Demands and a Clash of Sovereignty

Rahmatullah Najib, the Taliban’s deputy interior minister and a member of the negotiation team, confirmed the Pakistani demands. He stated that Islamabad’s delegation pressed for a three-point plan:

1. Public Condemnation: The Afghan Taliban must openly condemn the TTP’s war against the Pakistani state.

2. Religious Legitimacy: Issue a fatwa to strip the TTP’s campaign of its religious justification.

3. Operational Action: Prevent cross-border attacks and relocate TTP members from Afghan territory.

In response, Najib asserted that the Taliban “does not bear responsibility for such requests,” effectively rejecting the core of Pakistan’s appeal. Instead, the Taliban delegation presented their own set of grievances, demanding that Pakistan:

• Halt repeated violations of Afghan airspace.

• Take concrete action against Islamic State (IS) hideouts and sanctuaries on its soil, which the Taliban claims are used to launch attacks into Afghanistan.

A Deepening Crisis of Trust and Trade

The failure to establish a joint mechanism to monitor and combat militancy underscores the profound mistrust between the two neighbors. The talks ended without a concrete plan, leaving a dangerous security vacuum along their porous border.

The diplomatic impasse has had immediate economic consequences. In a move that further strains relations, the Taliban have reportedly halted imports of a range of Pakistani goods. This trade disruption deals a blow to Pakistan’s economy and signals Kabul’s willingness to use economic levers in the dispute.

Analysts: A Clash of Priorities and Identity

Security analysts point to fundamental reasons for the deadlock.

“The Afghan Taliban are caught in a bind,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, a senior fellow at King’s College London specializing in South Asian security. “Issuing a fatwa against the TTP would be an ideological betrayal. The TTP are their ideological brethren, sharing a similar worldview and fight against a foreign-backed government. For the Taliban in Kabul, condemning them is not a simple political move; it risks fracturing their own base of support.”

For Pakistan, the demand is a matter of national security. The TTP has escalated its attacks dramatically since the collapse of the Afghan peace deal in 2022. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly stated that regional peace is contingent on Kabul taking “credible action” against militant groups operating from its territory.

“Pakistan views the TTP as an existential threat and believes the Afghan Taliban have the moral and military authority to rein them in,” explained Imtiaz Gul, executive director of the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad. “The Taliban’s refusal is seen in Islamabad not just as a lack of cooperation, but as tacit support.”

The stalemate leaves both governments in a precarious position. Pakistan faces a raging insurgency with no clear diplomatic path to resolution. The Taliban, struggling to govern and gain international recognition, are now facing increased isolation and economic pressure from a key neighbor. With neither side willing to concede, the prospects for de-escalation in the near future appear dim.

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