Mohammad Naseem Haqqani, head of the Taliban-appointed Sheikh Zayed University in Khost, has declared that waging jihad against Pakistan is an individual obligation.

The cleric labelled the Pakistani government as “puppets” and its laws as influenced by “Jews and Christians.”

In a video circulated on social media, Haqqani criticised Pakistani clerics, including Mufti Taqi Usmani, for refusing to issue similar calls. He claimed they remained silent out of fear of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency and argued that imprisonment or death would be preferable to what he described as the moral decline of Muslim scholars. Haqqani went as far as to pray for a “heavenly thunderbolt” to strike Pakistan.

Taliban government statements frequently refer to Haqqani with titles such as “Sheikh al-Hadith” and “Mawlana,” underscoring his religious authority within the group. He previously served as a spokesperson for the ministry overseeing emergency response and currently leads Sheikh Zayed University in Khost.

Escalating War of Words

Haqqani’s comments follow sharp criticism from Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, head of Pakistan’s Ulema Council and the prime minister’s special representative for interfaith affairs. Ashrafi urged the Taliban to refrain from interfering in Pakistan’s internal matters, telling them, “We are not your students; you are our students.”

Ashrafi described Pakistan as an Islamic nation that had made decades of sacrifices for Afghanistan. He said thousands of Pakistanis had lost their lives supporting Afghans, but recent attacks launched from Afghan territory had caused Pakistani civilian casualties.

“Wars you claim to have won were because of our sacrifices,” Ashrafi said. “If you do not know this, ask. Is it possible that we could fight your battles but be unable to defend our own homeland?”

The Taliban have not yet officially responded to Haqqani’s remarks.