Taliban‑Pakistan Rift Deepens Over ISKP Shelters

Washington, Aug 29 – Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have intensified after the Taliban accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). The allegation centers on reports that ISKP fighters and leader Sunallah Gafari have moved freely through camps allegedly located inside Pakistan.

According to a recent assessment, ISKP maintains operational cells in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with support – or at least tolerance – from certain elements of Pakistan’s security apparatus. The Taliban, who claim to have struck ISKP‑linked sites in June, say Pakistan’s inaction is a direct threat to their anti‑terrorism drive.

The document criticises Pakistan’s historic “strategic depth” doctrine, which treated Afghanistan as a rear‑area buffer against India and Western influence. This policy, built on the premise of a friendly Afghan regime, is now described as a failed gamble.

When the Taliban seized power in August 2021, Pakistani leaders hoped the group would accept a fixed Durand Line, suppress the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan movement and depend on Pakistani trade corridors. Instead, the Taliban asserted full independence, prompting a cascade of border skirmishes, aerial strikes, economic pressure and mutual accusations of sponsoring terrorism.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif, speaking in February 2026, warned that "the dam of patience has broken" and that an open conflict was underway.

ISKP is identified as the Taliban’s most dangerous jihadi opponent, embracing the broader Islamic State ideology and labeling the Taliban as unlawful. Since 2021, the Taliban have launched an aggressive campaign against ISKP, and any Pakistani softness could undermine those efforts and enable a more robust regional terror network.

The analysis also highlights the strategic relevance of the Wakhan Corridor – a narrow passage linking Afghanistan to China’s Xinjiang region. By May 2026, about 70% of the corridor’s construction was reportedly completed. Its activation would allow Afghanistan to bypass Pakistani territory for China trade, potentially eroding Pakistan’s longstanding leverage and reducing the significance of the China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor for Afghan commerce.