For years, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban maintained an uneasy understanding. That fragile peace has now been shattered. In response to consistent cross-border aggression, Pakistan’s military launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq last week; its decisive strikes targeting Taliban positions from Kandahar to Kabul, with firefights raging along the frontier. Pakistani officials have made it clear: they view this as an “open war” imposed upon them. The trigger? A relentless wave of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan perpetrated by militants finding sanctuary in Afghanistan.
As of Wednesday, 481 Taliban fighters have been killed and nearly 700 injured. Security forces have destroyed 226 insurgent outposts and seized dozens of bases used by the militants. In one bold raid, Pakistani jets struck the former Bagram Air Base near Kabul, erasing key assets that were once central to America’s military operations in Afghanistan. The government says its objectives are nearly achieved, with militant infrastructure in ruins and key terrorist leaders eliminated. However, just as in the past, Pakistan’s demand is simple and unwavering: the Afghan Taliban must not allow their soil to be used by terrorists.
The country has suffered immensely from terrorism that has been nurtured on Afghan soil for over two decades. The 2014 massacre of more than 130 schoolchildren in Peshawar stands as a grim reminder. The TTP and its allies have repeatedly struck at the heart of Pakistan, from bazaars in Lahore to convoys in Baluchistan and every single time, the planners have managed to slip back across the border to safety. Islamabad had initially hoped the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul would curb this menace. Instead, terror sanctuaries only grew. The Afghan Taliban, ideologically aligned with the TTP, failed to uphold their counterterrorism commitments, letting militant groups operate with impunity. This has led to unimaginable grief for Pakistani families and communities, fueling a burning desire for justice.
While there is little appetite in Islamabad for a long conflict, Pakistan will not stand down until the threat is neutralised. The Afghan Taliban can no longer play both arsonist and fireman, talking about neighbourly relations while sheltering a terrorist insurgency. Afghanistan’s other neighbours have also grown alarmed at militants thriving under the Taliban’s watch. International stakeholders urge dialogue, but Washington has backed Pakistan’s right to self-defence. The way forward is narrow yet clear. The Taliban must hand over or expel the TTP fugitives and dismantle their camps. It is time for them to prioritise governance over ideological loyalty to fellow militants.
Pakistan, for its part, should remain vigilant and measured, calibrating force with diplomacy. Hard-earned lessons from the past – from the costly battles in Swat and Waziristan to aborted peace deals – underscore that appeasing fanatics is a dead end. There is room for cautious optimism only if Kabul’s rulers change course. Otherwise, they will face an implacable opponent next door and further isolation abroad.
