The mountain air was thin, biting at Major Ali’s face as he surveyed the smoldering ruins of the TTP hideout. The drone footage confirmed the success of the operation – a key TTP commander, notorious for orchestrating attacks on Pakistani schools, was among the casualties. Relief washed over him, tempered by the grim reality of the situation.
He remembered the warnings, the countless diplomatic overtures to the Afghan Taliban. “Rein in the TTP,” the Pakistani government had pleaded. “They are a threat to us both.” But their pleas fell on deaf ears. The Taliban, emboldened by their victory, seemed more interested in consolidating power than addressing the growing threat of the TTP.
The cost of this inaction was staggering. Every day, news arrived of another attack – a suicide bombing in a bustling market, a school under siege, innocent lives extinguished by the TTP’s ruthless campaign. The pressure on the Pakistani military was immense. The people demanded action, and the government had no choice but to respond.
Major Ali knew the risks. The Afghan Taliban would undoubtedly retaliate, denounce the strikes as an act of aggression. But inaction was no longer an option. Pakistan had endured too much, sacrificed too much. This was a fight for survival.
He thought of his own family, his children playing innocently in their backyard, oblivious to the dangers that lurked just across the border. He swore to himself that he would do everything in his power to protect them, to ensure that the TTP never again found safe haven in Afghanistan.
The drone footage showed another target – a suspected suicide vest manufacturing facility. The thought of these weapons of terror falling into the hands of children, of innocent civilians being maimed and killed, filled him with a cold fury.
The operation would continue. The message was clear: Pakistan would not tolerate terrorism, not from within its borders, and not from across them. This was a fight for peace, a fight for survival, and Pakistan would not back down.
