Mohammad Naeem, Deputy Minister of Finance and Administration in the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, has warned that Pakistan’s decision to host a gathering of Taliban opponents will have serious consequences.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Naeem called the initiative “a failed attempt” by foreign intelligence circles to exert political pressure on the Taliban. “Such efforts, made in the name of uniting political opponents, will not only fail but may provoke the political wrath of the [Taliban] and the Afghan people,” he wrote.
He added that if any response emerges from this meeting, “those who initiated this political game will suffer heavy losses.”
Taliban officials have also made indirect references to the meeting in recent speeches marking Afghanistan’s Independence Day.
The event, hosted by SASSI University on August 24–25 in Islamabad, is officially billed as a dialogue on peace and regional stability. University President Maria Sultan stated, “The main aim of this conference is to discuss peace and stability. It also gives Afghanistan’s people a platform to share perspectives and develop a unified stance.”
The meeting has drawn harsh criticism from Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Peace. Although invited as an honorary guest, Khalilzad declined, alleging that the conference is orchestrated by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.
In recent days, Khalilzad has posted a series of messages on X warning against participation. In one widely shared post, he stated: “I don’t believe you want the ISI’s stamp on your forehead,” arguing the gathering is unsuitable for patriotic citizens of Afghanistan.
