The Global Terrorism Index Report 2025 ranked Pakistan as the second-most severely affected country by terrorism, a sharp climb from tenth place in 2022. The report highlights that terrorist attacks more than doubled in 2024, with casualties increasing by 45%. The GTI data underscores Kabul’s facilitation and provision of a conducive environment to more than twenty militant organizations, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), TTP (Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and TTP (Jamaat-ul-Ahrar), all of which are responsible for the chronic wave of terror that Pakistan is enduring.
Last week, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security convened and voiced serious concerns over cross-border terrorism, deciding to engage with Afghanistan on this critical national security issue.
Despite Kabul’s non-cooperative approach, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Muhammad Sadiq, visited Kabul and once again conveyed Pakistan’s serious reservations regarding the persistent terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
During his meetings, Muhammad Sadiq reiterated Pakistan’s firm stance that Afghanistan must stop allowing its soil to be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan. The three-year rule of the Afghan Taliban has primarily focused on exporting terrorism and fostering conspiracies. Most alarmingly, their growing ties with Pakistan’s adversaries have further fueled regional violence, posing a serious threat to stability and security. Despite these challenges over the past two decades, Pakistan has remained steadfast in its counterterrorism efforts, playing a key role in the global War on Terror in pursuit of regional peace and prosperity.
The three-year rule of the Afghan Taliban has primarily focused on exporting terrorism and fostering conspiracies.
The worsening security situation is largely attributed to the unhindered movement of terrorist groups like the TTP, which collaborates with the BLA and other militant factions exploiting Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan’s Paktia province, which borders Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has become a stronghold for the TTP and BLA. A recent case in point is the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express attack, where terrorists were in direct contact with their handlers in Afghanistan and received real-time guidance during the operation.
Afghanistan, a landlocked country, heavily depends on transit and trade via Pakistan for economic stability. However, prolonged border closures and clashes have significantly disrupted its economy. The primary obstacle to cordial relations between the two neighboring countries is Kabul’s failure to act against anti-Pakistan terrorist groups based in Afghanistan, particularly the TTP and BLA. Consequently, dialogue must continue to resolve all outstanding issues affecting bilateral ties.
The only path to lasting peace in the region is for the Afghan Taliban to take decisive action against anti-Pakistan militants operating from their soil. For how long will this region remain a proxy battleground for global powers? It is high time for Kabul to take practical measures against anti-Pakistan forces, irrespective of ideological affiliations, reciprocal compulsions, internal political and security dynamics, or strategic interests.
The writer is a freelance columnist with special focus on issues concerning national security.