Airstrikes in Paktika

One could say Pakistan had given fair warning of the precision airstrikes it has conducted in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, eliminating over 71 terrorists, including several key commanders. According to reports, four critical hideouts were obliterated in the operation, including a suicide vest manufacturing facility and the Umar Media Cell. Why do we say there was fair warning? Because Pakistan has been consistently reminding the Afghan regime that it is harbouring terrorists that strike at Pakistan’s sovereignty. But nothing has been done by those running the show across the border. Now after the strikes, the Afghan Taliban regime has responded by condemning this as “a blatant violation of all international principles and an obvious act of aggression,” warning that it would not leave such actions unanswered and asserting its “inalienable right” to defend its territory. However, this is not the first time Pakistan has been forced to carry out cross-border operations to target terrorists. It is no secret that the Afghan Taliban have been harbouring the leadership of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan. Their continued failure to take action against the TTP or curb cross-border terrorism has left Pakistan with no choice but to act in self-defence.

The numbers speak for themselves: in the first ten months of this year, 1,566 terrorist incidents were reported in Pakistan, claiming at least 924 lives, including those of civilians and law enforcement personnel. Earlier this year, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif openly stated that Pakistan has been conducting operations in Afghanistan. “We will continue to do so", he told the BBC. “We won’t serve them with cake and pastries. If attacked, we’ll attack back.” Pakistan has shown remarkable restraint for a long time, repeatedly warning the Afghan Taliban regime to rein in the TTP or face the consequences. We have in these pages continued to advocate for peace and against any pre-emptive strikes but we are also aware that not doing anything has not worked out. In the face of the terrorism Pakistan is subjected to, can these airstrikes be seen as anything but self-defence, forced upon us by the Taliban’s inaction? If the Afghan regime had taken decisive action against the TTP, such strikes would not have been necessary. Their accusations of international law violations ring hollow when they provide safe havens to terrorists responsible for countless attacks on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan has always stood by the people of Afghanistan, and we still seek to resolve this issue diplomatically. Just this week, Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq held high-level talks in Kabul, emphasising our commitment to dialogue. However, when diplomacy fails, Pakistan must defend its territorial sovereignty. Whether through hot pursuit or intelligence-based operations, we will act against terrorist hideouts and target the TTP leadership. Pakistan resiliently fought the war on terror for over a decade, sacrificing thousands of civilians and security personnel to reclaim our land from the grip of terrorism. But the TTP’s resurgence following the fall of Kabul is a direct consequence of the Afghan Taliban regime treating them as allies. If the Afghan Taliban choose to behave this way, they must be prepared for retaliation. Pakistan has always acted in the best interests of its Afghan brethren, but patience has limits. Afghanistan must decide – swiftly and decisively – whether it wants to continue harbouring terrorists. The time for inaction has long passed.