Pakistan sent warplanes into Afghanistan last week. Bombs hit buildings in Paktika and Nangarhar provinces. Kabul says the targets were madrassas. At least seventeen civilians died. Women. Children. Then Pakistan’s defence minister turned to the east and accused India of orchestrating the entire crisis.
The accusation came fast. The evidence? Nowhere to be seen.
Who Got Killed in Pakistan’s Airstrikes?
Afghan officials say the dead were students. Young men studying in religious schools. Pakistan’s military tells a different story. They claim they hit militant hideouts. They say they killed over seventy fighters from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
The truth likely sits somewhere in between. In war, it always does. But here is what is not in dispute. Pakistani jets crossed into another country’s airspace. They dropped bombs. People died. And the fragile ceasefire that had held since October collapsed completely.
Why Point Fingers at India So Fast?
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif went public with a serious charge. He said Afghanistan is fighting a “proxy war” for India. He pointed to a recent visit by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi. He suggested that trip carried hostile intent toward Pakistan.
It sounded like a major revelation. But no proof followed.
Yes, India has reopened diplomatic channels with Kabul. Yes, they are sending humanitarian aid. Yes, they want to restore their embassy presence. That is called foreign policy. It is not the same as running militant operations against Pakistan.
Why Does Pakistan Keep Blaming India?
This is the uncomfortable question nobody in Islamabad wants to answer.
Pakistan has a well-worn habit. When crises hit, blame India. Economic trouble? Blame India. Insurgency in Balochistan? Blame India. Militants attacking army checkposts? Definitely blame India.
The reflex is so automatic it has become theatre.
But the harder truth is this. The TTP is Pakistani. They were born in Pakistan’s tribal districts. They grew stronger because for years, Pakistan’s security services played a dangerous game. They supported some militant groups as proxies. They thought they could control the fire.
They were wrong.
What Is the TTP and Why Do They Attack Pakistan?
The TTP wants one thing. To overthrow the Pakistani government.
They have killed thousands of Pakistani soldiers and civilians since forming in 2007. After the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, they regrouped. They found sanctuary on the Afghan side of the border. They intensified attacks.
Pakistan demanded the Afghan Taliban kick them out. The Afghan Taliban did little. They share ideology with the TTP. They are cousins in everything but name. So Pakistan ran out of patience.
Why Did the Ceasefire Fail?
Last October, Qatar and Turkey brokered a 48-hour ceasefire. It followed Pakistan’s Operation Khyber Storm, which saw jets strike multiple Afghan cities. For two days, the guns went quiet. But the truce had no enforcement mechanism. No joint verification teams. No binding framework on militant sanctuaries. It was a pause dressed up as peace.
When a suicide bomber hit an Islamabad mosque last month, the pause ended. Pakistani soldiers died in fresh clashes. The jets took off again.
What About the Border Itself?
The Durand Line. A British colonial officer drew it in 1893. He sliced through Pashtun lands without asking anyone. Afghanistan never accepted it. When Pakistan became a country in 1947, Kabul voted against its UN admission.
Eighty years later, they are still fighting about that line.
It is long. It is mountainous. It is impossible to guard completely. Families live on both sides. Their history, their hearts, their loyalties cross back and forth like the border does not exist. But armies do not care about hearts. Armies care about lines on maps.
FAQs
Q: Why did Pakistan bomb Afghanistan?
A: Pakistan says it was targeting TTP militants who attack its soldiers from Afghan soil. They say the Afghan Taliban is not stopping them.
Q: Did India cause this?
A: No. Pakistan alleged Indian involvement but provided no evidence. India has reopened ties with Kabul, but that is normal diplomacy, not conspiracy.
Q: Who are the TTP?
A: The Pakistani Taliban. An armed group formed in 2007 that wants to overthrow Pakistan’s government.
Q: What is the Durand Line?
A: The contested border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, drawn by Britain in 1893. Afghanistan has never fully accepted it.
Disclaimer: This report is based on official statements and available ground data as of the time of publication. Given the evolving diplomatic situation, certain claims may reflect subjective perspectives. TSG has not independently verified all information provided by external sources.
