Taliban Turns Against Pakistan
The Taliban, once nurtured by Pakistan as a strategic ally, has turned against its benefactor, intensifying conflicts along the Afghan-Pakistan border. Around 15,000 Taliban fighters are reportedly advancing toward Pakistan’s Mir Ali border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. These strikes, targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps, resulted in 46 casualties, prompting the Afghan Taliban to condemn the attacks as “barbaric aggression” and vow retaliation.
Pakistan now faces a dual challenge from the TTP, which seeks an Islamic emirate within its borders, and the Afghan Taliban, with whom tensions have escalated over cross-border terrorism accusations. A report revealed a 56% rise in terror-related fatalities in Pakistan in 2023, underscoring the growing threat.
The strained relationship stems from Pakistan’s historic support for the Taliban, dating back to the 1990s, when Islamabad’s intelligence agency, ISI, backed the group for geopolitical leverage. This proxy strategy extended to using Taliban-controlled areas for anti-India operations, further complicating regional dynamics.
Hilary Clinton’s 2011 metaphor of “keeping snakes in the backyard” aptly reflects Pakistan’s predicament. Decades of fostering militant groups for strategic depth have now backfired, with the Taliban evolving into a formidable challenge to Pakistan’s stability and security.
