Fragile ties

Pakistan and Afghanistan have once again pledged to strengthen diplomatic engagement, hoping to unlock their full potential for mutual benefit. The visit of Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq Khan to Kabul is a sign of another attempt at repairing fractured ties. His visit follows a US delegation’s departure and coincides with the reopening of the Torkham border, a critical crossing that had been closed for nearly a month. While regional experts are seeing these developments as positive — and they are — the lingering distrust and unresolved security issues between the two countries will no doubt continue to cast a long shadow over bilateral relations. The main source of all the tension is the persistent issue of terrorism, particularly the presence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Afghan soil. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to sever ties with the TTP and prevent them from launching cross-border attacks. The December 2024 drone strike by Pakistan against TTP camps inside Afghanistan had been a manifestation of Pakistan’s growing frustration. More recently, Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of sheltering the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), with security agencies presenting evidence linking BLA militants to handlers across the Pak-Afghan border. All this came to a head with the Jaffar Express hijacking and the subsequent military revelations.

Pakistan’s security forces have been actively countering these threats, the most recent being a military operation in North Waziristan, where 16 terrorists attempting to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan were killed. However, despite these efforts, Afghanistan has yet to address the root cause of the problem — allowing terrorist groups to operate freely on its soil. Pakistan has consistently called for effective border management, but the lack of reciprocal action from Afghanistan has led to major security risks for us. Adding to this all is the political discord within Pakistan over handling relations with Afghanistan. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, led by the PTI, has accused the federal PML-N government of failing to engage effectively with Kabul and has criticised the centre for its lack of initiative and reluctance to let provincial authorities step in. This internal discord only benefits terrorist elements, who exploit political divisions to further their agenda. Rather than indulging in political point-scoring, Pakistan’s leadership must adopt a united stance.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, appears to be playing a dangerous game by leveraging international actors to pressure Pakistan into inaction. The Afghan Taliban is evidently unwilling to take direct action against the TTP or BLA, leaving Pakistan with limited options. While some political voices have warned against any military intervention inside Afghanistan, there is growing impatience in Islamabad which will not tolerate cross-border terrorism indefinitely. The Global Terrorism Index 2025 ranks Pakistan as the second-most affected country by terrorism. This is an unacceptable situation that demands immediate and decisive action. Afghanistan must make a choice — does it want to coexist peacefully with Pakistan or continue providing safe havens to terrorist elements? The window for negotiations is rapidly closing, and Afghanistan would be wise to recognise the consequences of continued inaction. Tangible steps are needed to ensure regional stability.