Amid exaggerated claims and counterclaims of damage inflicted and the killing of hundreds of soldiers and fighters, the fierce border clashes between Pakistani troops and the Afghan Taliban fighters have opened up the difficult challenge of a two-front hot border for Islamabad. Nor does a resolution of the issue seem possible in the near future due to the complexity of the problem.
With its western border heating up with raging battles with the Taliban-led Afghan troops and the eastern border with India already tense, the latest developments will vastly reduce Islamabad’s capacity to stir up trouble on and across the Line of Control (LoC)—the de facto border of Pakistan with India.
Afghanistan shares two main border points with Pakistan at Torkham in the north and Chaman in the south, which have now been closed. The border firings have taken place in several places, including Kurram, Dir, Chitral, Angoor Adda, Baramcha and Bajaur. Kabul also accuses Pakistan of carrying out air strikes in Kabul last week.
Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is currently on an official visit to India, declared on Friday that Afghan soil would not be used against any country, which is being seen as a statement against Pakistan.
But to be fair, there is not much India can do to aid the Taliban-ruled regime, as the Indian effort in Afghanistan has largely been based on humanitarian and on infrastructure development in the war-ravaged country.
Any active Indian involvement in Afghanistan will also draw in the wrath of the United States, which has warmed up its bilateral relations with Pakistan. The US action against India may be in the form of far more stricter sanctions.
But India will be concerned about China stepping into the Af-Pak rumble, with Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson saying, “China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in improving and developing Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.”
The downturn in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations is mainly due to the problem of refugees who had migrated into Pakistan from Afghanistan in a huge exodus.
With Pakistan trying to push the refugees back into its western neighbour, the ruling Taliban regime doesn’t want such a vast number of people back in the country who have professed an anti-Taliban position. The Taliban also fears that these vast numbers of returned refugees can become the core of an anti-Taliban political mobilisation effort.
More than 35 lakh Afghan refugees are in Pakistan, while the Pakistani government's number is much more. More than 7 lakh Afghans moved into Pakistan after the Taliban took over power in Kabul in 2021.
Pakistan also accuses Kabul of aiding and sheltering the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan or the TTP that continues to engage the Pakistani military in its revivalist bid for an Islamic system of government.
