The Taliban regime's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently posed a question that demonstrates either profound ignorance or calculated denial about Afghanistan's global standing. He asked why only Pakistan complains about Afghanistan being a terrorism center while neighboring countries like Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and China remain silent.
The Global Reality: Universal Condemnation
The answer to Muttaqi's question is straightforward: the international community does complain. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Pakistan and nations worldwide have consistently voiced concerns about the resurgence of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil. The Taliban regime remains unrecognized by any of the 193 United Nations member states.
Several countries that restored diplomatic and economic engagements with Afghanistan still refuse to grant official recognition. Russia removed Afghanistan from its terrorist list, China extended its Belt and Road Initiative, and Iran maintains relations while sharing religious affinity. Yet none of these nations, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the UAE, Egypt and Indonesia, recognize the Taliban government.
The global community views Afghanistan as a state that harbors terrorists, particularly the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which operates freely from Afghan territory to launch attacks killing hundreds of Pakistani children.
Human Rights Catastrophe and Cultural Destruction
The world witnesses Afghanistan's rapid deterioration under Taliban rule. 1.5 million Afghan girls are banned from secondary education, while women have been systematically erased from universities, hospitals and courtrooms. Public spaces for women continue to shrink dramatically.
The regime's inhumane policies have created a healthcare crisis for Afghan women. They are forbidden from receiving medical education and treatment from male doctors, leading to tragic consequences. Mothers die during childbirth because no female doctors remain, and religious restrictions prevent men from treating them.
This destructive ideology extends beyond the current population to target cultural heritage. The Taliban demonstrated their contempt for history by destroying the 1,700-year-old Bamiyan Buddha statues with explosives, erasing a rich historical legacy that represented Afghanistan's pluralistic past.
Why Pakistan's Voice Rings Loudest
Amir Muttaqi specifically questioned why Pakistan complains most vocally. The reason is simple: Pakistan suffers the most from Afghanistan-based terrorism. Geography and history have created unique vulnerabilities for Pakistan that other neighbors don't face.
Pakistan shares the longest border with Afghanistan at 2,670 kilometers, compared to Iran's 921 km, Tajikistan's 1,373 km, Turkmenistan's 804 km, Uzbekistan's 144 km and China's 76 km. Militants exploit tribal kinship bonds and cross freely through the Khyber Pass and tribal areas, creating security challenges that other nations avoid.
Iran, China and Tajikistan benefit from natural barriers like deserts, mountains and high-altitude corridors that provide protection. Meanwhile, Pakistan stands directly in the path of chaos emanating from Afghanistan.
The human cost has been staggering. Since 2001, approximately 90,000 Pakistanis have been killed in terrorism-related violence. The economic losses exceed $150 billion, compounded by the decades-long burden of hosting nearly five million Afghan refugees.
The Taliban's daily violations of Pashtunwali and Islamic law, combined with their denial of the Pakistan-Afghan border despite historic agreements from 1893, 1919 and 1921, demonstrate their disregard for international norms and regional stability.
Afghanistan, once celebrated as a land of poets like Rumi, known for pluralism and promise where women flourished as doctors, teachers and parliamentarians, has transformed into a sealed fortress of terrorism and tyranny. This destruction stems not from foreign armies or geopolitics, but from the Taliban's own choices, leaving Afghanistan isolated while the world progresses forward.
