The US State Department would have been better off skimming through its arsenal registry before it dashed to Whyrebut allegations from caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar in the wake of the recent wave of terrifying terrorism sweeping across Pakistan. Simply because the spokesperson stood behind a podium bearing the official seal, he could not lord over irrefutable ground realities and whip up extraordinary conjecture. Reports compiled by think tanks as early as March 2023 suggested how US forces had left behind around $7 billion worth of military equipment when they hastily left the war-ravaged Kabul to Afghan Talibal in 2021. There is ample evidence of TTP using sophisticated weapons from the vast war chest to orchestrate insurgencies in Pakistan. Amid claims of a robust black market for US weapons in Pakistan, glaring footages of sniper attacks on security check posts along the Pak-Afghan border on top of a note of admission submitted by the Pentagon to both Congress as well as US government watchdog SIGAR, Washington would have a hard time making up its flimsy case. A more worthwhile line of action should have focused on condemnation of the rapidly declining security situation. The last few days have been particularly harrowing for the military personnel and law enforcement agencies as they were attacked in three out of five provinces. With the violent episodes being claimed by TTP and separatist outfits one after another, the entire brigade of our enemies appears to have jumped into the ring together and they are determined like never before. Against such an uptick, statements from Islamabad and Quetta regarding the complicity of our neighbours cannot be denied. It was only recently that a purported audio clip of a Taliban spokesperson had warned Pakistan of the “consequences” of its decision to force undocumented Afghans back to their homeland. So while facts alone are enough to silence our critics as they continue to play down our struggle for survival, Pakistan needs a reality check. Why have these organisations been successful in planning out onslaughts on highly-secure installations? Does this indicate a weakening of our intelligence agencies or the presence of moles sitting in influential positions and ready to sell out their brothers? The questions hang heavy in the air. *