Asif Khurshid
Pakistan’s ongoing Operation ‘Ghazab lil-Haq’ stands as a firm and unambiguous response to militants operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan, as well as those providing them shelter. According to Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Pakistani security forces have inflicted significant losses on Afghan Taliban fighters, killing 435 militants and injuring over 630 during the operation. He further said that 188 military posts and armored vehicles were destroyed, 31 key positions were captured, and 51 locations across Afghanistan were successfully targeted through airstrikes. He called the operation a decisive response to unprovoked aggression.
In the volatile landscape of South Asia, the recent border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have thrust the region into a precarious state of “open war,” as declared by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. What began as targeted airstrikes by Pakistan on militant camps in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces on February 21, 2026, has escalated into full-scale exchanges of fire, artillery barrages, and bombings in major Afghan cities like Kabul and Kandahar. As an independent observer, it is imperative to dissect this crisis not through the lens of aggression but through facts, highlighting Pakistan’s longstanding constructive role toward Afghanistan, the covert role of external actors like India, and the menace of extremist groups labeled as Fitna tul Khwarij.
The recent conflict ignited when Pakistan launched airstrikes on February 21, targeting the camps of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in retaliation for terrorist attacks within Pakistan, including the deadly Islamabad mosque bombing that claimed over 30 lives.
On February 26, Afghan-based militants launched a major attack on Pakistani military posts in areas like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which led Pakistan to carry out retaliatory strikes the next day.
The surge in TTP attacks, along with the silent support of the Afghan Taliban, forced Pakistan to launch Operation Ghazab Lil Haq to neutralize threats from Afghan soil.
Despite these frictions, Pakistan’s history with Afghanistan is one of unparalleled support, often at great cost to itself. During the Soviet invasion in the 1980s, Pakistan hosted over 4 million Afghan refugees, providing shelter, education, and aid amid global indifference. This hospitality continued through decades of conflict, with Pakistan absorbing economic strains and security risks. Even after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, Pakistan advocated for international engagement with Kabul to prevent humanitarian collapse, facilitating trade and border crossings despite provocations.
It has consistently pushed for Afghan stability, recognizing that chaos next door breeds terrorism at home. Yet, this goodwill has been repaid with ingratitude. The Afghan Taliban’s support for anti-Pakistan militants has eroded trust. Pakistan’s patience, as Minister Asif noted, has “run out,” but this does not erase decades of fraternity. Islamabad’s actions are defensive, aimed at self-preservation, not conquest.
The situation is made more difficult by India’s interference, which Pakistan sees as a direct threat. This stance aligns with India’s historical strategy of encircling Pakistan by bolstering anti-Islamabad elements in Afghanistan. Pakistan has clear evidence that India has supported groups like Baluchistan militants and the TTP, calling this ‘Fitna al-Hindustan’ to show India’s alleged involvement?This rivalry intensified after a brief India-Pakistan conflict in 2025, where India’s engagement with Kabul provides strategic leverage. Such interference not only prolongs the conflict but risks broader regional destabilization.
The TTP, operating from Afghan safe havens, wages a deadly insurgency against Pakistan, demanding Sharia imposition while perpetrating atrocities like the Islamabad bombing.
ISKP makes the situation worse by carrying out sectarian attacks. These groups pretend to be religious but spread conflict, kill innocent people, and disturb the region. Pakistan’s strikes focus on their hideouts, not the Afghan people, to stop this fitna that threatens Muslim unity. This clash, while tragic, presents an opportunity for Pakistan to assert its security imperatives decisively. First, launch a comprehensive operation against TTP and ISKP without tolerance, employing precision strikes and ground forces to dismantle their networks. Operation Ghazab Lil Haq must expand, ensuring no sanctuary remains. Second, pursue diplomatic avenues vigorously. Engage the international community through the UN, US, China, and other regional actors to pressure the Afghan Taliban to expel militants. Third, maintain a clear distinction between combatants and civilians while eliminating terrorists and their hideouts. Pakistan should precisely target terrorists and their hideouts, and provide safe routes for civilians to reduce harm, protect its image, and prevent extremism. Fourth, religious parties in Pakistan must unambiguously denounce TTP and Fitna tul Khwarij. Clerics and leaders should issue fatwas, labeling them as heretics, countering their narrative, and fostering national unity.
Pakistan must use its military power wisely, along with diplomacy and ethics. Only then can peace return, and neighbors become friends again. Not acting risks ongoing conflict, helping outside spoilers like India. The time for half-measures is over; a secure Pakistan is essential for regional stability.