Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have flared once more after a series of deadly Pakistani airstrikes killed 10 civilians nine children and a woman in Afghanistan’s Khost province. This escalation comes barely a day after the suicide attack in Peshawar, yet instead of focusing on the militant networks festering within its own borders, Pakistan has launched aggressive military action across the border. Islamabad, which for decades supported, sheltered, and financed militant factions including the Taliban and the Haqqani Network, now finds itself struggling to contain the very extremist ecosystem it created. Rather than acknowledging its internal security collapse or the long-standing presence of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters inside its territory, Pakistan has once again chosen to target Afghan soil raising accusations that the strikes are a political distraction meant to hide its own failures in protecting its citizens.
Taliban Accuses Pakistan of “Crime Against Civilians”
The Afghan Taliban government reacted sharply to the overnight strikes, calling them a “crime” and a “clear violation” of international law. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, stated that Afghanistan had the “legitimate right” to defend its sovereignty. He warned that the Taliban would deliver a “necessary response at the appropriate time.”
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Mujahid accused Pakistan of bombing a civilian home in Khost, killing nine children and a woman, while additional strikes in Paktika and Kunar injured four more civilians. He asserted that these attacks violated the sanctity of Afghan airspace and breached multiple international norms approved by the United Nations.
The Taliban’s reaction highlights the severe deterioration in relations between the two neighbours. The strikes occurred despite a Qatar- and Turkey-brokered ceasefire negotiated in October, which had been holding until now. Islamabad, however, has not issued any formal response to the Afghan allegations, leading to further speculation that the strikes were carried out in haste—possibly triggered by the recent attack in Peshawar.
Peshawar Attack Exposes Pakistan’s Internal Security Collapse
On Monday, Pakistan was rocked by yet another act of terrorism when two suicide bombers and a gunman attacked the headquarters of the Federal Constabulary in Peshawar. The attackers struck in the early hours as around 150 security personnel were preparing for their morning parade. One bomber blew himself up at the main gate, while the second was shot dead near the parking area before he could detonate his explosives. A third attacker opened fire, adding to the chaos.
Three officers were killed, and 11 others were injured in the assault. Police later collected body parts for DNA testing and launched an investigation into the attackers’ identity and nationality. Although no group claimed responsibility, suspicion immediately fell on the TTP an organisation that Pakistan itself has acknowledged is receiving sanctuary across the Afghan border.
Yet, the broader truth remains: the TTP’s resurgence is rooted within Pakistan’s own soil. Over the past year, the group has intensified its attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Punjab, repeatedly breaching Pakistan’s internal security apparatus. Even officials within Pakistan privately admit that years of using jihadist groups as tools of foreign policy have resulted in a blowback that the state is now unable to control.
Islamabad Blames Afghanistan, Avoids Responsibility
Instead of addressing the underlying causes of its internal unrest, Islamabad continues to accuse Afghanistan of “harbouring” TTP militants. Pakistan claims that the Afghan Taliban are turning a blind eye to cross-border infiltration, while Kabul categorically denies the allegation. Relations took a severe downturn in early October, when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of conducting drone strikes inside Kabul. Those strikes resulted in heavy casualties, including soldiers and civilians, before a ceasefire was brokered on October 19.
Two rounds of talks followed in Istanbul, but they failed after the Afghan side refused to provide Pakistan with written guarantees stating that Afghan soil would not be used for TTP attacks. Afghan officials argue that Pakistan’s request is hypocritical, given that Islamabad spent decades providing safe havens to Afghan Taliban fighters during the U.S. war in Afghanistan. That support played a pivotal role in the Taliban’s eventual takeover in 2021 an outcome Pakistan celebrated at the time. Now, the same networks of militants are undermining Pakistan’s own internal stability.
Pakistan Steps Up Anti-TTP Operations but Faces Deep Structural Issues
Over recent weeks, Pakistan has launched intensified counter-terrorism operations along the Afghan border, killing dozens of TTP fighters. Authorities have also deployed additional troops in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, fearing more attacks during winter a time when militant infiltration traditionally increases. But security experts warn that Pakistan’s strategy remains deeply flawed. Instead of confronting the ideological ecosystem that created these terror groups, Pakistan continues to treat extremism as a tactical problem rather than a strategic one.
Moreover, Pakistan’s strikes on Afghanistan appear aimed more at externalising its internal failures rather than solving them. Each time Pakistan faces a major attack such as the recent blast in Islamabad that killed 12 people or the previous suicide attacks in KP—it blames Afghanistan, conducts cross-border strikes, and claims retaliation. This cycle has not only failed to curb terrorism but has worsened relations with Kabul, creating greater insecurity for civilians on both sides of the border.
Pakistan’s External Aggression Cannot Hide Its Internal Failures
Pakistan’s decision to strike Afghan territory after the Peshawar attack reflects a pattern of denial and deflection. Rather than acknowledging that militant organisations like the TTP are a product of decades of state complicity, Islamabad is once again resorting to external aggression to conceal its internal weaknesses. The killing of nine Afghan children and a woman will only inflame tensions, harden Afghan resistance, and diminish Pakistan’s credibility internationally. Until Pakistan dismantles the terror infrastructure it once nurtured and stops using cross-border aggression to mask its domestic crises peace in the region will remain elusive, and instability will continue to deepen on both sides of the Durand Line.
