As I sit here in Europe, poring over reports from the rugged frontiers of South Asia, I can’t help but feel a familiar surge of outrage. For decades, I’ve chronicled the plight of marginalized peoples — from the Kurds enduring endless betrayals to the silenced voices in occupied territories. Now, the February 22, 2026, Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan scream of the same shameful pattern: a powerful state cloaking its aggression in the rhetoric of self-defense, while raining death on innocents. Let’s be clear — this isn’t about targeting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). It’s a brazen assault on Afghan civilians, a violation of sovereignty that must end now. And in this geopolitical chess game, India’s principled stand shines as a beacon of regional integrity.

Picture this: It’s the holy month of Ramadan, a time of reflection and peace. Yet, Pakistani jets scream over Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, pounding what officials in Islamabad dub “militant hideouts.” They boast of 70-80 terrorists eliminated in “intelligence-based, selective” operations. But where’s the proof? No independent verification has surfaced — none. Instead, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) paints a harrowing picture: at least 13 civilians slaughtered, seven more wounded, including women and children. The Afghan Red Crescent Society tallies 18 deaths in Nangarhar alone. Taliban officials and eyewitnesses push the grim count beyond 20, with bodies........

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