Asif Noor: Diplomacy is still possible, but TTP must be addressed first - INTERVIEW | News.az

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

57% : Afghan resistance to recognizing the border invites recurring skirmishes, as seen in the October 11-12 clashes, during which Pakistani forces neutralized 200 Taliban-linked fighters and seized 19 outposts in self-defense.
51% : What are Pakistan's main security concerns in this regard? - The Taliban's protective and ideologically aligned stance toward the TTP, often described as "fraternal" due to shared Pashtun roots, anti-Pakistan rhetoric, and Sunni Deobandi ideology, has been a central catalyst in the October 2025 border escalation.
46% : Az analytical portal spoke with Muhammad Asif Noor, a Pakistani political analyst and Director of the Center for Central Asia and Eurasian Studies at the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, who provided an in-depth assessment of the security challenges, political disagreements, and future scenarios facing both countries. - What are the main reasons behind the recent clashes on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border?
38% : Pakistan prioritizes mutual security and trade, valued at $2.5 billion annually, whereas Kabul's position risks regional instability, including potential refugee crises affecting the 1.4 million Afghans currently hosted by Pakistan. -
35% : These developments have disrupted trade, displaced border communities, and raised the spectre of a wider confrontation if de-escalation efforts fail.
34% : The Afghan Taliban, for their part, must publicly commit to monitoring or relocating TTP fighters from border provinces, potentially under UN oversight, to address Pakistan's core concerns, though internal divisions may limit the scope of any crackdown.
23% : This undermines state authority, fosters local militias, and risks a protracted insurgency in the absence of political resolutions.

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