Tarz Press: The Taliban have stated that the smuggling of weapons through the Torkham border is not their responsibility and that these weapons were likely purchased through black markets in other countries and then smuggled into neighboring nations.
Pakistani authorities at Torkham reported discovering several firearms they claimed were being smuggled into the country for terrorist activities. According to Pakistani officials, the seized weapons included American-made firearms, night vision scopes, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
In response, Abdul Mateen Qane, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied any connection to the smuggled weapons. He emphasized that arms trafficking occurs not only in Afghanistan but in many other countries, stating, “These types of weapons could have been purchased in other countries through black markets and then smuggled into another country.”
Qane did not mention any specific countries but reiterated that the alleged smuggling of weapons through Torkham into Pakistan is not related to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior also emphasized that their primary concern is preventing the buying, selling, and smuggling of weapons from Afghanistan, claiming that necessary actions have been taken in this regard.
This comes as Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of supporting armed militants and planning attacks within Pakistan. However, the Taliban have consistently denied these allegations, asserting that militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS, have open bases within Pakistan from where they organize their attacks.
