Participants of the 258th Corps Commanders’ Conference last month “expressed concern on sanctuaries and liberty of action available to TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan] militants and groups” in Afghanistan, citing this as well as their access to “latest weapons” as major reasons for Pakistan’s deteriorating security situation. Kabul’s response has alternated between urging Pakistan to resolve the issue through dialogue or flat-out denying that TTP fighters continue to live and operate in Afghanistan.
Ground realities disagree with these claims. Multiple reports suggest TTP fighters have free rein in major cities and towns of Afghanistan, allowing them to stage attacks inside Pakistan before fleeing back across the porous border for shelter. The issue has gained urgency in recent months, as the quantity and quantum of terrorist strikes continues to rise, with civil and military leaders alike sounding the alarm and demanding action from Kabul to curb militancy.
Unfortunately, the hurried withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Afghanistan in 2021 saw them abandoning advanced hardware, including tanks, planes and weaponry, that have since been taken up by the Taliban. Considering the close ties between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban, it is not too difficult to imagine that the former, too, has armed themselves with the same spoils of war. According to some reports, the interim Afghan government is now blaming lack of state sovereignty for its failure to prevent militancy. Foreign Minister BIlawal Bhutto-Zardari has lent some credence to this by telling journalists earlier this week that, as a last resort, Pakistan can “defend itself” by taking action inside Afghanistan if Kabul fails to act. He added that Islamabad was ready to “help” the interim government if it was merely an issue of “capacity.” This sets the stage for a potentially disastrous face-off on Pakistan’s western border.
To avoid further conflict, Kabul must take steps to overcome its “lack of writ of the state” and collaborate closely with Pakistan to initiate “internal” action against the groups that commit cross-border terrorism.