PAKISTAN’S recent precision military response against targets inside Afghanistan marks a significant turning point in an already fragile relationship.

Islamabad maintains that the action became inevitable after repeated warnings to Kabul regarding the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries across the border went unaddressed. For years, Pakistan has accused Afghan authorities of allowing its territory to be used for cross-border infiltration and militant attacks. Suicide bombings targeting military convoys, mosques and civilians have intensified, particularly during 2024–25, with hundreds of incidents reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The mounting casualties placed Islamabad before a stark choice: continue diplomatic protests while strengthening internal security, or escalate militarily to dismantle militant infrastructure allegedly operating from Afghan soil.

Restraint initially prevailed, largely to avoid a wider conflict that could trigger coordinated retaliation by Afghan Taliban elements and the TTP, reminiscent of the post-9/11 surge in militancy. However, a series of high-profile suicide attacks, including one in Islamabad, heightened domestic pressure. Diplomatic démarches yielded little tangible response, and Pakistan ultimately opted for direct action, citing self-defence. A conflict rooted in history: Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan are neither sudden nor isolated. At the heart of the dispute lies the Durand Line, the 2,640-kilometre border drawn in 1893 between Emir Abdur........

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