The start of relations between the recently established administration and the de facto Taliban rulers of Afghanistan has not been good. Pakistan launched attacks early on Monday in the provinces of Paktika and Khost, targeting “terrorists belonging to [the] Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group,” following the martyrdom of seven security personnel in a terrorist strike in North Waziristan on Saturday, according to a FO statement issued yesterday.
Conversely, Afghan officials asserted that “civilian homes” had been targeted. Additionally, on Monday, there were reports of cross-border fire exchanges in the Kurram area.Additionally, throughout the weekend, militants carried out strikes in Bannu, Nowshera, and Mohmand.
It’s crucial right now that tensions with Kabul don’t get worse. While responding to terrorist attacks that target both citizens and security forces is imperative and must be enforced, it is not appropriate for unilateral action to become the standard. Our security concerns will be increased because of this, since relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban will only worsen and Pakistan may lose its influence in Kabul.The foreign minister and his Afghan colleague exchanged pleasantries shortly after the new government took office, promising to increase cooperation in a number of areas, including security. But the attack in North Waziristan and its aftermath have served as a harsh reality check and are the government’s first test of how well it can handle ties with Kabul on the Afghan front.
Both sides need to confirm the source of the assaults against Pakistan. Although representatives of the Afghan Taliban maintain that terrorists are not using their land, a wealth of evidence points to the contrary. Pakistan has brought up the matter of sanctuaries for militants in Afghanistan before the UN, whose representatives have also emphasised the existence of many militant organisations in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban should act to prevent anti-Pakistan fighters from conducting attacks within this nation rather than pretending to be ignorant, especially if they are sincere about gaining recognition as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. While obvious risks to national security must be eliminated right away, Pakistan must employ a “carrot and stick” strategy with the Taliban in order to end militancy for good.A similar course of action and working “towards finding joint solutions in countering terrorism” have been alluded to by the FO. Open lines of communication should be maintained, and Pakistan should request that Afghanistan act against confirmed terrorist havens located on the other side of the border. Furthermore, if the Taliban fail to take action against militants operating on their territory, China, which provides the Kabul government with a financial lifeline, may also be pushed to take severe action.
All of the area’s states should collaborate with Kabul on a shared counterterrorism strategy in addition to using bilateral channels since the terrorist threat posed by groups with roots in Afghanistan has the potential to destabilise the entire region.