Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have reached alarming heights along their shared border as relations with the Afghan Taliban continue to deteriorate. Recent airstrikes conducted by Pakistan in Paktika and Khost provinces resulted in the unfortunate deaths of civilians, intensifying the friction between the two nations. Pakistan claims the strikes targeted the Tehrik-I-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it blames for a surge in terror attacks on its soil. In retaliation, the Taliban launched attacks on Pakistani military posts along the border, further escalating the situation.
The border region now sits in an uneasy calm as the once-cozy alliance between the Pakistani military establishment and the Afghan Taliban fades away. Pakistan’s historical support for the Taliban during their rise in the 1990s has come back to haunt the nation. Though Islamabad distanced itself from the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks, it maintained a delicate balancing act, appeasing the United States while covertly supporting the Taliban. Quetta, Balochistan, served as the Taliban’s headquarters during this period.
Pakistan aimed to deepen its influence in South Asia by cultivating the Taliban as a counterweight to the U.S.- and India-backed Afghan government. However, the collapse of President Ashraf Ghani’s government and the Taliban’s return to power did not yield Pakistan the expected dominance. Longstanding border disputes and historical tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan further strained relations.
With the Taliban in control of Kabul, the Tehrik-I-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) gained strength. Though separate entities, both groups share ideological similarities as Pashtun factions following a strict interpretation of Islam. The TTP seeks to emulate the success of the Afghan Taliban within Pakistan. Despite Pakistan’s calls to sever ties, the Afghan Taliban maintains its relationship with the TTP, setting the stage for potential conflict between the two countries.
Pakistan faces a complex and challenging predicament, with the consequences of its past support for Islamist insurgency now casting a shadow over the nation. Afghanistan has become a focal point for this policy’s blowback. As relations with the Taliban unravel and the TTP’s influence grows, Pakistan must confront the ramifications of its past alliances while navigating a path forward.
