By S.M. Inam
Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on terrorist hideouts across the Afghan border have sent a stark and unambiguous message: if cross-border militancy is allowed to continue, and the Afghan Taliban fail to act against extremists using their territory as a launchpad, Pakistan will no longer wait. These operations, carried out with precision, targeted those groups directly responsible for attacks on Pakistani soil, inflicting significant casualties and material damage. The strikes followed stern diplomatic warnings: just days earlier, Pakistan summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires to the Foreign Office, reminding Kabul that its territory must not serve as a safe haven for militants. The situation on the ground, however, remains grim. Extremist factions continue to exploit the porous Afghan-Pakistani frontier, disregarding religious observances and the sanctity of Ramadan while orchestrating attacks within Pakistan.
Their actions are a brutal reminder that their professed ideology is a perversion of faith, used only to justify violence and terror. Meanwhile, the Taliban regime has repeatedly failed to restrain these elements, leaving Pakistan with little recourse but to respond decisively. The country’s security forces, guided by the National Action Plan and the Federal Apex Committee’s Stabilization Vision, have consistently confronted terrorism with full force, demonstrating a commitment to protecting civilians and dismantling networks of foreign-sponsored militancy. The threat is neither distant nor abstract. In Bannu district, intelligence-led operations recently foiled a suicide bomber targeting both security personnel and local civilians. While the plot was largely intercepted, the resulting explosion claimed the life of a lieutenant colonel, a soldier, and five militants.
Investigations quickly traced the network to Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s faction operating from Afghanistan, with the sub-group Itihad al-Mujahideen claiming responsibility. This organization has repeatedly orchestrated attacks in North and South Waziristan and Bannu over the past year, exploiting Afghan territory to strike at Pakistan, even during sacred periods. These incidents illustrate the direct and ongoing threat posed by cross-border extremism and the human cost borne by communities on the frontline. Pakistan’s security challenges are further complicated by the geopolitical landscape. Intelligence suggests that certain groups operating from Afghan soil receive support and facilitation from foreign actors, including India, making the problem as much a regional issue as a domestic one.
While Kabul has offered repeated assurances that its territory would not be used for attacks against Pakistan, these promises have too often remained verbal, with little practical action on the ground. For Pakistan, this has meant a persistent cycle of militancy, limited options for diplomacy, and mounting civilian and military casualties. In this context, the airstrikes, regrettable in their necessity, reflect a simple principle of statecraft: a nation has the right—and indeed the duty—to defend its people when diplomatic avenues have been exhausted and threats emanate from across its borders. These operations were deliberately focused on militant encampments, sparing civilians wherever possible, demonstrating both restraint and strategic clarity. Yet military measures alone cannot deliver lasting peace.
The moment demands a comprehensive regional security approach, bringing together Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other stakeholders to establish coordinated border monitoring, intelligence sharing, and joint action against outlawed groups. Without collaboration, unilateral strikes, however precise, will offer only temporary relief. The recent operations underscore a broader truth about the nature of security in South Asia: threats do not respect borders, and neither can responses. While Pakistan has acted decisively to defend its sovereignty, sustainable stability will require diplomatic finesse alongside military preparedness. Regional cooperation must move beyond rhetoric to concrete mechanisms for monitoring and countering extremism. Dialogue, not escalation, must remain the guiding principle, ensuring that security concerns are addressed without provoking cycles of retaliation or regional tension.
For millions of people living in border regions and across South Asia, the stakes could not be higher. The threat of militancy, if left unchecked, undermines daily life, economic development, and social cohesion. At the same time, unchecked military escalation risks broader instability. Pakistan’s airstrikes are a sober reminder of the immediacy of these threats and the responsibilities of states to protect their citizens. The challenge now is to pair resolve with responsibility, ensuring that decisive action on security is complemented by sustained diplomatic engagement. Only through such a balance can the region hope to move toward lasting peace and security, transforming a cycle of violence into an opportunity for cooperation, stability, and shared prosperity.
(The writer is a former government officer and a senior analyst on national and international affairs, can be reached at inam@metro-morning.com)
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