The Pakistani armed forces chief warned the Taliban that praising India as a friend makes them "kaafir," or infidels, to Pakistan [1].
This escalation reflects Islamabad's growing anxiety over the strategic shift in Kabul. Pakistan views India's increasing diplomatic and economic engagement with the Taliban-run government as a direct threat to its own regional influence and national security [2, 1].
Speaking at a press briefing in Islamabad last month, the newly appointed army chief said he expressed deep concern regarding the Taliban's recent positive rhetoric toward India [1]. He urged the Afghan leadership to choose between maintaining ties with Islamabad or aligning with the Pakistani Taliban [1].
"If the Taliban continue to praise India as a friend, they are acting as 'kaafir' to Pakistan," the armed forces chief said [1].
India has continued to expand its footprint in the region. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India's relationship with Afghanistan is based on mutual respect and shared development goals [2]. This diplomatic push included a meeting in New Delhi on Oct. 10, 2025 [2].
The Taliban leadership has openly welcomed this outreach. Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban Foreign Minister, said he welcomed India's constructive engagement after meeting with the Indian minister [2].
While the Taliban frame these interactions as mutually beneficial, Pakistan views the cooperation as a strategic encirclement. The tension highlights a widening rift between the two neighbors over the role of India in Afghan affairs [1, 2].
“"If the Taliban continue to praise India as a friend, they are acting as 'kaafir' to Pakistan,"”
The use of the term 'kaafir' by a top military official signals a shift from diplomatic disagreement to ideological condemnation. By framing the Taliban's engagement with India as a religious or moral betrayal, Pakistan is attempting to leverage the Taliban's own ideological framework to discourage ties with New Delhi. This suggests that Islamabad believes traditional security guarantees are no longer sufficient to prevent the Taliban from diversifying their foreign partnerships.
