Afghan officials have voiced serious concerns that escalating tensions between Pakistan and India could have direct and adverse consequences for Afghanistan and the wider region.
Following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, occupied Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, India suggested possible cross-border involvement without providing evidence. Pakistan firmly denied the allegations and called for an impartial investigation.
In retaliation to India’s aggressive posture, Pakistan imposed a series of countermeasures including halting bilateral trade, closing airspace and ports to Indian carriers, and expelling Indian diplomats.
At a press conference on Sunday, Hekmatullah Zaland, Deputy Director of Afghanistan’s Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS), said, “Given our geographical proximity, any escalation between India and Pakistan will directly impact both Afghanistan and regional stability.” He emphasized that Afghanistan is engaging both nations in accordance with its balanced foreign policy.
Zaland was speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “Tensions in Pakistan-India Relations and Their Impact on the Region”, hosted by the CSS. Afghan officials at the event expressed concern over the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, warning that Afghan trade is already suffering as a result.
On April 23, India closed the Attari checkpost. Pakistan responded by sealing the Wagah Border the next day, effectively halting trade with India—including goods in transit for Afghanistan.
Although Pakistan allowed 150 stranded Afghan trucks bound for India to cross the Wagah Border, India did not reciprocate, leaving the trucks stuck. Pakistan has also blocked vehicles carrying Indian imports destined for Afghanistan. Afghan traders report that about 2,000 containers arriving at Karachi from India are now stuck, some waiting at Torkham and Chaman border crossings.
CSS Director Waliullah Shaheen provided a historical context for the India-Pakistan tensions and suggested that both nuclear-armed nations are unlikely to go to war, instead seeking diplomatic resolutions.
Mufti Noor Ahmad Noor, Political Director at the Afghan Foreign Ministry, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the economic fallout for Afghanistan. He said the closure of trade routes had severely disrupted Afghan commercial activities, and the government must prepare for further instability.
Emphasizing Afghanistan’s good relations with both Pakistan and India, Noor said, “The Islamic Emirate does not support war between the two nations. Guided by our balanced and economy-centered policy, we aim to promote regional peace and stability.”
Dr Hafiz Ikramuddin Kamil also addressed the legal concerns over India’s reported move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. He noted that while the long-term disruption of river flows is technically and legally complex, the threat itself adds to the current strain in India-Pakistan relations.
The roundtable was attended by numerous Foreign Ministry officials, who discussed the broader regional implications of the ongoing crisis.
Dar Reviews Follow-Up on Kabul Visit
In a related development, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assess progress on decisions made during his recent visit to Kabul on April 19.
The visit marked a turning point in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations after months of diplomatic silence, border clashes, and heightened security concerns. During the trip, Afghanistan’s acting Prime Minister Mullah Hasan Akhund assured Pakistan that Afghan soil would not be used for hostile acts against any country.
At Sunday’s meeting, officials from the Foreign Office and various ministries reviewed the status of agreed-upon measures. Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fostering peace, regional connectivity, trade, and sustainable development.
The session was attended by Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, and senior government officials.
