THE recent air strikes by Pakistan on Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Afghanistan were a necessary evil. The strikes, although not desirable, were a necessity. As such, the Afghan Taliban regime, in spite of repeated requests and reminders by Pakistani authorities, was not willing to rein in the TTP to stop it from terrorist incursions into Pakistan.

In fact, terrorist attacks from Afgha- nistan have increased since the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul. Under these circumstances, the Pakistani authorities could not just watch the wrongful killing of their troops and innocent citizens.

Kinetic strike inside another country is a high-risk manoeuvre, and is taken only when all other forms of persuasion fail to work. However, Pakistani autho-rities have taken a wise decision to continue the dialogue process with the Afghan regime. As a matter of fact, a Pakistani delegation was in Afghanistan when Pakistan conducted the air strikes inside Afghan territory.

Unsurprisingly, the Pakistani estab-lishment, which was expecting a friendly Taliban regime in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the United States and Nato forces in 2021, now seems to be totally perplexed by the belligerent response from Afghanistan, which is not only providing full support, but also a sanctuary to TTP terrorists.

I hope state actors will have learned their lessons, and thatthey would be more cautious and careful in shaping the country’s crucial foreign policy in future.

Akbar Jan Marwat
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025