Pakistan has strongly objected to the recent India-Afghanistan joint statement that referred to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India, calling it a violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad said the statement undermines the “legal status” of the region and disregards the “sacrifices and sentiments” of the people of what it termed as “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.”

Pakistan slams reference to Jammu and Kashmir

In a statement released late Friday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said, “It was conveyed that the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is in clear violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the legal status of Jammu and Kashmir. The Joint Statement is highly insensitive to the sacrifices and sentiments of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for the right to self-determination.”

The reaction came days after India and Afghanistan issued a joint communiqué following Afghan acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to New Delhi—the first high-level diplomatic engagement since the Taliban took power in 2021.

India, Afghanistan condemn terrorism in the region

The October 10 joint statement, issued after talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Muttaqi, reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to combat terrorism and promote regional stability.

“Both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries. They underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region,” the statement said.

Jaishankar also thanked Afghanistan for its condemnation of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.

Islamabad objects to Afghan minister’s comments

Alongside its criticism of the joint communiqué, Pakistan also expressed displeasure over Muttaqi’s remarks that described terrorism as an internal issue of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has repeatedly shared details regarding the presence of Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan with support from elements within Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office said.

Islamabad urged Kabul to address these concerns seriously, claiming that anti-Pakistan groups were operating freely within Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s response and growing tensions

Muttaqi, on the other hand, had blamed Pakistan for recent explosions in Afghanistan, rejecting claims that Afghan territory was being used to support terrorism.

“We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Problems cannot be solved like this… We have kept the door to discussion open. They should solve their problem on their own. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years,” Muttaqi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

His statement has added a new layer of tension to the already fragile relationship between Islamabad and Kabul, especially at a time when both nations face mounting security concerns along their shared border.

A complex diplomatic triangle

The exchange of remarks highlights the deep mistrust that continues to shape relations among India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. While India and Afghanistan appear to be strengthening diplomatic ties, Pakistan views this growing cooperation with unease.

Experts say Pakistan’s sharp response was expected, given its long-standing stance on Jammu and Kashmir and its strained relations with both India and the Taliban government. The Taliban’s outreach to India—once unthinkable—signals a shifting geopolitical balance in the region.

The road ahead

Despite Islamabad’s protests, New Delhi has maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and that its relations with Afghanistan are focused on peace and development.

For Pakistan, however, the diplomatic developments raise concerns about losing influence in Kabul—a worry that has persisted since the Taliban began engaging with countries beyond Islamabad’s traditional orbit.

Whether this diplomatic friction will escalate further remains to be seen, but the episode underscores the fragility of South Asia’s regional balance amid competing interests and mutual suspicions.