The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on the Pakistani government to engage in dialogue with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, urging them to address the protesters’ “legitimate demands.”

Despite having suppressed numerous civil movements in Afghanistan over the past three years, the Taliban cautioned that refusing to negotiate could exacerbate the situation further.

In a statement released on Sunday, 6th October, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over the ongoing tensions between the Pakistani government and its political opponents. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry, shared a message on the social media platform X, stating that the group is closely monitoring the current situation in Pakistan.

The Taliban called on the Pakistani government to approach the grievances of the protesters in a “reasonable” and “realistic” manner.

The demonstrations in Islamabad, supporting Imran Khan, were organised following a call from the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi for over a year.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, alleged that Afghan citizens were involved in the protests, with 120 arrested so far. PTI officials have denied these claims.

While the Taliban now encourages dialogue in Pakistan, the group has violently suppressed numerous peaceful civil movements in Afghanistan in recent years. Hundreds of civil activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and political opponents have been imprisoned under their regime.

Human rights organisations have reported that many of the Taliban’s opponents have faced violence in detention, with some dying under torture in Taliban prisons during the past three years.