Hamna Obaid
Since the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan has chosen diplomacy over confrontation patience over provocation. More than 200 border flag meetings have taken place since then, each one following a cross-border attack or security breach. Ten Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meetings have been organized, and more than 800 diplomatic protests have been lodged.
The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has issued over 200 formal memorandums, while around 180 diplomatic demarches have been delivered to Afghan authorities. Even China has stepped in at least three times to mediate. The Foreign Minister has visited Kabul five times, joined by delegations of the Defense and Interior Ministries, while civil society leaders, religious scholars, and politicians have made numerous goodwill trips to urge peace. And yet, despite all this engagement, Pakistan continues to bleed. Since 2021, over 1,050 terrorist attacks have been launched from across the Afghan border, killing more than 3,800 Pakistanis — soldiers, policemen, and innocent civilians. The numbers are not just statistics; they represent a growing sense of betrayal.
When the Taliban regained power after two decades of war, there was cautious optimism in Islamabad. Many believed that a friendly government in Kabul would help secure the border, curb terrorism, and enhance trade. Pakistan was among the first countries to extend humanitarian support to the new Afghan administration, despite global hesitation. But four years later, that optimism withered into disillusionment.
The Taliban leadership has consistently denied sheltering or supporting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), yet their actions tell another story. The TTP continues to find safe havens in Afghanistan, launch attacks from across the border, and then retreat under the protection of sympathetic networks. Despite repeated promises from Kabul to “look into” Pakistan’s concerns, the violence has not stopped.
At the heart of the issue lies a contradiction. The Taliban, now a government, remains ideologically aligned with militant groups they once fought beside. Their refusal to take decisive action against TTP is not just a matter of capacity — it’s a matter of political will. By allowing the TTP to operate freely, the Taliban have effectively undermined the very stability they claim to uphold. Pakistan’s policy, meanwhile, has evolved from strategic patience to strategic frustration. Islamabad has exercised every form of restraint possible diplomatic engagement, multilateral mediation, economic cooperation, and even religious appeals.
China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other friendly nations have quietly urged the Taliban to address Pakistan’s security concerns, warning that continued instability will isolate Afghanistan further, but Kabul’s response has remained defiant, often dismissing Pakistan’s concerns as exaggerated or politically motivated. In recent months, Pakistan’s tone has begun to change. Officials have started saying openly, “Enough is enough.” There comes a point when diplomacy loses its meaning if it produces no results. The persistence of these attacks also threatens broader regional interests. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and regional trade initiatives depend on stability along Pakistan’s western frontier. Even Beijing, which maintains cordial relations with Kabul, has quietly expressed concern over the Taliban’s inability to prevent militancy spilling into neighboring states. Protecting foreign militants while ignoring cross-border terrorism will only deepen their diplomatic isolation. The world has little appetite to engage with a government that cannot control its territory or honor its commitments.
For Pakistan, the road ahead is difficult but clear. Diplomacy will continue but it must now be backed by defined red lines and tangible consequences. Border fortifications, enhanced intelligence operations, and controlled immigration measures are already being strengthened. Islamabad must balance dialogue with deterrence, ensuring that its pursuit of peace is not mistaken for weakness. After hundreds of meetings, dozens of visits, and thousands of lives lost, Pakistan stands at a turning point. The message from Islamabad is now unmistakable: friendship cannot come at the cost of security, and patience cannot be infinite.
Every nation has a threshold. For Pakistan, that threshold has been crossed. The Afghan border is no longer just a line on a map—it’s a litmus test of sovereignty, security, and strategic resolve. As Islamabad weighs its next steps, one truth remains: diplomacy is noble, but deterrence is sometimes necessary. The world must now ask: if over a thousand attacks and thousands of deaths aren’t enough to provoke action, what will be?It is time for the Taliban government to make a choice — to be a responsible neighbor that values stability and cooperation, or a haven for militancy that endangers the entire region. The choice they make will determine not only the future of Afghan-Pakistan relations, but the peace and prosperity of South Asia itself.
—The author can be reached at [email protected]
