Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbours. Ideally, their relationship could have been built on trade, commerce, and shared prosperity. The border between the two countries could have been a bridge of opportunity, a gateway to regional growth. Instead, it has become a corridor of fear. Suicide attackers cross into Pakistan. Drones strike from Afghan soil. What could have been a hub of economic activity has instead become a symbol of terror. For years, Pakistan tried diplomacy. Talks were held, both bilaterally and with the involvement of friendly countries. Pakistan repeatedly urged the Taliban to prevent their territory from being used for attacks against Pakistan. Every appeal, every discussion, was ignored. Patience was met with indifference, restraint with betrayal.
Meanwhile, the human cost on Pakistan’s side mounted. Lives were lost. Entire communities were devastated by explosions. Families in Bajaur, Khyber, and other border regions lost fathers, sons, and brothers. Cities were shaken. Hospitals, filled with casualties. Infrastructure was destroyed. The repeated attacks showed a brutal pattern: Afghanistan’s soil was being used as a launchpad for terrorism. Diplomacy alone could no longer protect Pakistani citizens.
Faced with this reality, Pakistan acted. Any responsible state would have done the same. Governments cannot endlessly recover the bodies of their citizens and soldiers while their enemies operate freely across the border. Pakistan’s position today is clear and unwavering: any attack against its citizens will be met with a firm response.
This policy has been demonstrated recently. On the night of March 16, Pakistani airstrikes targeted terrorist hideouts, training centres, arms depots, and military installations in Nangarhar and Kabul. The strikes were a direct response to the killing of Pakistani civilians in Bajaur. A day earlier, the Badri 313 unit was struck. Both actions sent a clear signal: Pakistan will protect its people, and no threat is beyond reach.
The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan could have been a symbol of connection, of trade, and shared opportunity. Instead, it has become a theatre of violence.
The failure of diplomacy is not new. After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan had hoped that the Taliban government would stabilise the Afghan soil. Reality proved otherwise. The Taliban not only sheltered terrorists but also actively provided them with resources. Weapons abandoned by the United States fell into the hands of extremist groups, who used them against Pakistan. Pakistan’s repeated warnings went unheeded.
The question is often asked: Who is responsible for this state of affairs? The answer is clear. The Taliban leadership in Kabul bears the primary responsibility. The bloodshed on Pakistani soil is the consequence of negligence, deliberate inaction, and tacit support for groups that attack Pakistan.
Pakistan’s demand has always been simple and legitimate: Afghanistan must not allow its territory to be used for terrorism against Pakistan. There is no claim over Afghan land. There is no attempt to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. Pakistan seeks only the basic right to safeguard its citizens. Yet the Taliban have ignored this fundamental responsibility.
The stakes are high. If the Taliban continue to allow their territory to be used as a staging ground for attacks, the consequences will be severe. Pakistan has made its policy clear: terrorism will be met with decisive action, and responses will target the infrastructure and personnel of those responsible. If foreign actors, including India, use Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan, Pakistan will respond effectively and firmly.
The choice now lies with the Taliban leadership. They can either respect Pakistan’s legitimate demands and move toward peace or continue acting as proxies, facilitating attacks on Pakistani citizens. The decision will determine the security of the region.
For Pakistan, it is all about survival, sovereignty, and the protection of its people. The border cannot remain a corridor of terror. The lives of citizens, soldiers, and officers cannot continue to be sacrificed due to the failures of another state. Pakistan’s actions are defensive, measured, and consistent with international norms. They are a response to repeated provocations and an assertion of the fundamental right of any nation to defend itself. The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan could have been a symbol of connection, of trade, and shared opportunity. Instead, it has been turned into a theatre of violence. Ending this cycle of terror is ultimately the responsibility of the Taliban. Pakistan has done what it can: it has called for restraint, offered dialogue, and repeatedly sought cooperation. The rest is now up to Kabul. Peace will only come if Afghanistan chooses to prevent its territory from being used against its neighbour.
The writer is a lawyer and author based in Islamabad. He tweets @m_asifmahmood