Afghan provocation

2026-02-25 - 21:43

THE Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkhan and Tirah but got an immediate and effective response from vigilant armed forces that silenced the aggression. In a post on social media platform ‘X’, Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Zaidi said Pakistan would “continue to protect its citizens and guard its territorial integrity”, vowing any further provocation would be responded to “immediately and severely”. The development comes after Pakistan targeted terrorist camps and hideouts overnight in the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan over the weekend, with an official saying that “more than 80” terrorists had been killed in the air strikes. A mischief from the Afghan side was expected following statements of the Taliban’s foreign ministry and spokesperson of the Kabul regime, which contained an open declaration of war against Pakistan. Afghanistan is justifying its aggression on the plea that this was in retaliation for airstrikes by the Pakistan Air Force. However, the fact remains Pakistani action was not against Afghanistan and its people but against TTP elements that are operating from Afghan soil and carrying out terrorist activities in different parts of the country involving loss of precious lives. Pakistan had conclusive evidence that the recent attacks on its soil were carried out by fighters and suicide bombers acting on the “behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers. Pakistan has been raising the issue with the Taliban government and lack of any positive response and continuation of terrorist attacks forced Pakistan to target seven hideouts of militants in Afghanistan. The latest developments mean the fragile ceasefire brokered by some friendly countries no longer holds and any misadventure by the Taliban government can push the two countries towards a wider conflict. By resorting to firing across the Durand Line, the Afghan regime has conveyed a message that the TTP terrorists were more important than the need to normalize relations with Pakistan.