A man sits next to trucks parked at the Torkham border post, after Pakistan closed border posts with Afghanistan, following exchanges of fire between the two countries’ forces, in Torkham, Pakistan, October 12, 2025. Photo: Reuters
On Sunday morning, for the second time this year, we learned that Pakistan was at war again. This time it was with Afghanistan. Videos of Pakistani soldiers standing atop Afghan border posts displaying the Pakistani flag have been circulating on WhatsApp. Why was this happening?
Have our relations with Afghanistan not warmed up? We agreed on a train from Peshawar to Kandahar and, for the first time in three years, both countries appointed ambassadors.
We got along so well that Pakistan and China said we would extend CPEC 2.0 to Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had just faced the cameras with a big smile as he stood hand in hand with Afghan and Chinese ministers in Kabul.
When a deadly earthquake shook Afghanistan a month ago, we immediately sent 105 tons of aid.
But in the background, terrorist attacks in Pakistan continued to cast a shadow over every handshake, every agreement and every act of engagement, all of which came with one condition: the Taliban must stop protecting terrorists.
Read: Failure to implement national action plan fuels rise in terrorism (DG ISPR)
Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had made clear to Taliban leaders at a meeting in Kabul that as long as Afghanistan continued to harbor regional terrorist groups, real progress in diplomatic relations would remain elusive. Pakistan had data to back up its claims.
Pakistan recorded a 45% increase in deaths in a decade. Attacks have doubled in just one year, reaching 1,099 in 2024.
In 2025, the Pakistani army carried out 57,000 operations, killing 970 terrorists. And 311 soldiers were martyred.
A staggering 70% of the men behind Tehreek-e-Taliban attacks in Pakistan were Afghans. In previous years, this figure was only 5%.
Pakistan has been ranked as the second worst-affected country in the Global Terrorism Index. And the TTP is now considered the fastest growing terrorist organization in the world, with a 90% increase in assassinations.
And it begins…
On October 8, the Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs landed in India. The next evening, two powerful explosions shook Kabul.
According to Pakistani security sources, the explosions were the result of Pakistani airstrikes targeting TTP leaders. Although Pakistan has not officially confirmed the strike, the timing raised eyebrows and all signs pointed to Islamabad.
The next day, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry held a press conference in Peshawar. He evaded questions regarding reports accusing Pakistan.
Learn more: Over 200 Afghan soldiers killed, 23 soldiers martyred in retaliatory strikes on Afghanistan: ISPR
Meanwhile, in India, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned the Kabul blasts and leveled criticism at Pakistan. “Whatever problems each country has, they must be resolved by themselves,” he said, asserting that “deflecting” responsibility would not absolve authorities of their obligations to regional peace.”
Sunday evening, the bombings echoed across the border. According to Pakistani security sources, Afghan Taliban forces, supported by Indian-sponsored elements of the group, Fitna al-Khawarij (term designated by the Pakistani state for the banned TTP) had launched an unprovoked attack in several sectors (Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan).
Also read: President, Prime Minister urge Kabul to rein in terrorists
These shots were intended to facilitate Khawarij’s entry into Pakistani territory.
Afghanistan claimed the aggression was retaliation for Kabul airstrikes. “There is no kind of threat to any part of Afghan territory,” said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. “The Islamic Emirate and the Afghan people will defend their land and remain resolute and committed to this defense.”
The Pakistani army rejected the Afghan version of events.
According to the ISPR, Pakistani forces killed more than 200 Afghan Taliban fighters during the night clashes. He confirmed that 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the crossfire. Afghanistan says the number is 58. As the sun rose, Pakistan closed its borders with Afghanistan.
On Wednesday morning, guns were being fired along the border in Chaman. Afghan Taliban fighters, in coordination with terrorists linked to Fitna al-Khawarij, launched attacks at three points near the border.
During the attack, terrorists blew up the Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate, which is a key crossing point for civilians.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime had agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, starting October 16 at 6 p.m. We will continue to report on developments.
