Pakistan Threatens Taliban with Asset Freeze and Transit Halt Over Terror Concerns

DID Press: Jan Achakzai, Information Minister of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, announced in a recent statement that Islamabad will implement a series of strict measures against the Taliban if their government fails to control terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan. The measures could range from freezing assets to halting transit trade entirely.

On Saturday (Nov. 15), Achakzai posted on X (formerly Twitter) that if terrorist groups continue to operate in Afghanistan, Pakistan will adopt a new policy of pressure and restrictions against the Taliban government.

As a first step, all Taliban-linked assets and properties in Pakistan—including businesses and residences—would be frozen, and family members connected to the group would be swiftly expelled from the country. He also stated that Taliban representatives will no longer be recognized as representatives of a legitimate, multicultural state.

Achakzai further announced the cancellation of passports and ID cards issued to Taliban members and said that all financial flows linked to the group through Pakistan would be tightly controlled. Any funds from UN sources or other organizations would first be converted into Pakistani rupees before transfer.

The minister identified “permanently closing transit trade with the Taliban” as a key measure, describing it as part of Islamabad’s broader approach to counter regional security threats.

These statements come after several rounds of recent talks between the Taliban and Pakistan ended without results, coinciding with attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Islamabad and Wana in South Waziristan, which have deepened mutual distrust.

Analysts say the ongoing tensions could push Kabul-Islamabad relations into a new phase of confrontation, potentially affecting regional security dynamics significantly.