A man sits next to parked trucks at the Torkham border crossing, after Pakistan closed the border crossings with Afghanistan, following exchanges of fire between forces of the two countries, in Torkham, Pakistan, on October 12, 2025. Photo: Reuters
On Sunday morning, for the second time this year, we woke up to the news that Pakistan was at war again. This time it was with Afghanistan. Videos of Pakistani soldiers standing on top of Afghan border posts flying the Pakistani flag circulated on WhatsApp. Why was this happening?
Weren’t our relations with Afghanistan warming? We had agreed to travel by train from Peshawar to Kandahar and, for the first time in three years, both countries had 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 looked at the cameras with a big smile while holding hands with the Afghan and Chinese ministers in Kabul.
When a deadly earthquake hit Afghanistan a month ago, we quickly sent 105 tons of aid.
But all the while, in the background, the terrorist attacks in Pakistan continued to overshadow every handshake, every agreement and every act of compromise, all of which had come with one condition: the Taliban had to stop protecting the terrorists.
Read: Lack of implementation of the National Action Plan is allowing an increase in terrorism: DG ISPR
Both Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had made it clear to Taliban leaders at a meeting in Kabul that as long as Afghanistan continued to host regional terrorist groups, real progress in diplomatic relations would remain elusive. Pakistan had data to back it up.
Pakistan was recording a 45% increase in deaths in a decade. Attacks had doubled to 1,099 in 2024 in just one year.
In 2025, Pakistan Army carried out 57,000 operations and killed 970 terrorists. And 311 soldiers had been martyred.
A staggering 70% of the men behind the Tehreek-e-Taliban attacks in Pakistan were Afghans. In previous years it used to be only 5%.
Pakistan ranked second among the most affected countries in the Global Terrorism Index. And the TTP is now ranked as the fastest growing terrorist organization in the world, with a 90% increase in murders.
And it begins…
On October 8, the Afghan Foreign Minister landed in India. The next night, two powerful explosions rocked Kabul.
According to Pakistani security sources, the explosions were the result of Pakistani airstrikes against TTP leaders. While Pakistan did not officially confirm the attack, the timing drew attention and all signs pointed towards Islamabad.
The next day, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry held a press conference in Peshawar. He dodged questions about reports that blamed Pakistan.
Read more: More than 200 Afghan soldiers killed and 23 soldiers martyred in retaliation attacks on Afghanistan: ISPR
Meanwhile, in India, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned the Kabul blasts and criticized Pakistan. “Whatever each country’s problems are, they must resolve themselves,” he said, arguing that “deflecting” responsibility would not relieve authorities of their obligations to regional peace.”
On Sunday night, shelling echoed across the border. According to Pakistani security sources, Afghan Taliban forces, supported by Indian-sponsored army elements Fitna al-Khawarij (Pakistan state’s designated term for the banned TTP) had launched an unprovoked attack in multiple sectors (Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan).
Also read: President and Prime Minister ask Kabul to control terrorists
The aim of the shooting was reportedly to facilitate Khawarij’s entry into Pakistani territory.
Afghanistan claimed that the aggression was retaliation for the Kabul airstrikes. “There is no threat of any kind anywhere in Afghanistan,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. “The Islamic Emirate and the people of Afghanistan will defend their land and will remain resolute and committed in this defense.”
Pakistan’s military rejected Afghanistan’s account of events.
According to the ISPR, Pakistani forces killed more than 200 Afghan Taliban fighters in the overnight clashes. He confirmed that 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred in the crossfire. Afghanistan says the number is 58. As the sun rose, Pakistan closed its border crossings with Afghanistan.
On Wednesday morning, guns were firing 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 Friendship Gate between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which is a key crossing point for civilians.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, starting October 16 at 6:00 p.m. We will continue to inform you about the news.
