Asma Bangash<\/p>\n
Think of a family taking in a neighbor whose house burned down, sharing their meals, their space, and their sincere concern. For so long, that\u2019s how Pakistan has treated Afghanistan. We opened our country to millions of Afghans running from war and conflict, giving them a safe place and the essentials to get by. It was more than just being a good neighbor; it came from a place of shared heritage, a feeling of brotherhood, and a deep well of empathy.
\nBut now, picture that same family finding out the neighbor they sheltered is secretly letting criminals hide out in their house \u2013 criminals who are sneaking over to your house, robbing, attacking, and even killing. That sickening feeling, that gut-wrenching disappointment, that\u2019s what Pakistan is grappling with. News is surfacing, credible reports, that point to parts of the Afghan Taliban working directly with those who are actively trying to hurt Pakistan, especially India\u2019s intelligence services.
\nIt goes beyond politics; it hits you in the heart. It\u2019s Pakistani families grieving loved ones lost in terrorist attacks, children terrified to go to school, communities living under a cloud of constant threat. This instability, this violence it bleeds over the border, directly into our lives. And the sharpest pain comes from knowing that groups like the TTP and ISKP, the ones responsible for so much suffering in Pakistan, are being sheltered just across the border, with the apparent knowledge of the Afghan Taliban. It\u2019s even worse to hear former TTP leaders openly confess that Afghan and Indian intelligence agencies gave them money and support to attack us. It truly is crushing.
\nAnd that welcoming hand we extended to refugees? It now carries a heavy weight of unease. Pakistan, of course, always has compassion and wishes to aid genuine refugees. But how do we separate the innocent, who require safety, and terrorists posing as the helpless?
\nReports of armed militants, pretending to be refugees, being arrested and planning terrible attacks it breeds suspicion, even where there shouldn\u2019t be any. Everyday living is not normal as it use to be.
\nThrough all of this, our soldiers, our brave Pakistani Army, stand firm. They\u2019re constantly on alert, conducting dangerous operations, risking everything to track down terrorists and keep us safe. They\u2019re like our protectors, doing everything. Yet the betrayal still stings, the feeling that our neighbor, someone we showed such compassion, would allow \u2013 or maybe even assist \u2013 these attacks on us. This defies all notions of respect and fairness.
\nIt\u2019s come to a painful, crucial point: Pakistan must safeguard its own people. It doesn\u2019t imply callousness, only practical necessity. We\u2019ve got to seriously manage who\u2019s inside our borders, ensuring everyone has the correct paperwork, and enforcing it rigorously. It\u2019s essential. It means making the border much stronger, increasing surveillance \u2013 like building a sturdy fence, not to isolate, but to keep what\u2019s inside secure. It means calling on the world to take notice, putting pressure on the Afghan government to quit providing sanctuary to terrorists.
\nThis is no thirst for retaliation; it\u2019s an act of desperation for safety and preservation. Pakistan\u2019s commitment to peace remains firm. But we won\u2019t tolerate our kindness, our help, being turned around and used against us. The time is urgent for concrete action, for the protection of the innocent, and to require basic respect. The pain is deep, trust broken by those shown grace. For those bearing its cost everyday, a change cannot come quick enough.<\/p>\n
The writer is a freelance journalist and columnist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Asma Bangash Think of a family taking in a neighbor whose house burned down, sharing their meals, their space, and their sincere concern. For so long, that\u2019s how Pakistan has treated Afghanistan. We opened our country to millions of Afghans running from war and conflict, giving them a safe place and the essentials to get […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[13469],"class_list":{"0":"post-466133","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-asma-bangash"},"yoast_head":"\n