Pakistan has always been guided by the principles of peace, brotherhood, and Islamic solidarity, but it is regrettable that the very Afghanistan for which we opened our doors, whose wounded we treated in our hospitals, and whose millions of refugees we welcomed into our homes and hearts, is today the soil from which bullets are being fired at our cities and border posts. Pakistan’s position is crystal clear: it does not seek war with anyone, but it knows how to respond to every attack on its soil. We fought the largest and most difficult war against terrorism, lost more than a thousand of our sons, yet never bowed before the enemy.
Our Pakistan Army set examples of sacrifice and bravery that the world recognises. But when terrorists across the border martyred our soldiers, and when groups based in Afghan territory plan operations against Pakistan, we cannot remain silent. Pakistan’s retaliatory operations are not acts of aggression; they are an assertion of a sovereign state’s right to self-defence – a message that anyone who casts a covetous eye on our land will pay the price.
Pakistan’s principled stance is that the war against terrorism is not the struggle of a single country but of the entire region. If Afghanistan wants to become a cradle of peace, it must honour its commitments.
Pakistan champions peace, but it will never tolerate softness when it comes to protecting its soil and nation.
We regret that the Afghan Taliban – whom Pakistan helped present as a political reality on the international stage – are now cosying up to India, a country that has long used Afghanistan against Pakistan, that once conducted operations through RAW networks to set our tribal areas ablaze, and that even today seeks to sabotage our peace.
Have the Afghan Taliban forgotten that it was Pakistan that created a soft corner for them internationally? Do they not know that Pakistan sheltered millions of refugees for decades, educated their children in our universities, and treated their patients in our hospitals? If these favours have also been erased from their memory, history will remember that Pakistan never sought enmity with a brotherly Islamic nation, yet it never compromised on its dignity, security, or sovereignty. The resolve of the Pakistan Army is unshakable; under the leadership of General Asim Munir, the army is always ready to guard Pakistan’s borders. We have always chosen the path of peace but never shown weakness.
If anyone believes Pakistan will bow to pressure or remain silent in the face of cross-border attacks, they are mistaken. We want peace, but not at the cost of our honour. We want friendship, but not by selling our national pride. Afghanistan’s rulers must accept the reality that friendship with India should not be allowed to turn into enmity with Pakistan; otherwise, that dream will turn into a nightmare for them. Pakistan has stood by its Afghan brothers in every difficult hour, but if Delhi’s influence in Kabul continues to grow, Pakistan will take every possible measure to defend itself. We wish well for the Afghan people, but we cannot make allowances for agents of an enemy country. Pakistan’s message is clear: bilateral cooperation is essential to eradicate terrorism; attacks against Pakistan from Afghan soil must stop; do not become part of India’s game; and promote mutual respect founded on brotherhood and Islam. We are ambassadors of peace, but we are also guardians of our sovereignty. Pakistan is a responsible state, a dignified nation proud of its sacrifices. We have always preferred good over evil, fraternity over suspicion, and prudence over aggression, but if anyone mistakes our forbearance for weakness, that will be their error.
We will not bow before the enemy; rather, we inherit the legacy of a nation that watered the homeland’s borders with its blood. Pakistan wants relations with Afghanistan based on equality, mutual respect, and Islamic brotherhood, but this is only possible if Kabul clears its soil of terrorists, breaks free from India’s deceit, and remembers Pakistan’s favours. If that happens, the region can become a cradle of peace and prosperity; otherwise, by falling prey to the enemies’ games, Afghanistan will harm itself. Pakistan’s principled, national, and moral stance is that we want peace, but not without honour and defence, because this country is built on the blood of our martyrs, and to protect it, the Pakistan Army, the nation, and the leadership are ready to make every sacrifice.
Pakistan’s stance is principled and clear: Afghan territory will not be allowed to be used against Pakistan’s internal security. Especially since the terrorist organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is based across the Afghan border and is conducting organised attacks against us from there, it is the Kabul government’s solemn responsibility to end the patronage and safe havens for such elements immediately. This demand is not merely emotional but genuine, legal, and moral; when terrorist groups enjoy freedom to attack from neighbouring soil, they become a danger not only to our citizens’ lives but to the stability of the entire region.
There is no doubt that the Afghan people are our younger brothers; their suffering is our suffering, and we want peace and prosperity for them, but that peace and prosperity cannot be achieved without protecting the sacrifices of our martyrs and our defence. Therefore, the Kabul government must decide immediately: either stop harbouring terrorist groups within its borders and start a new chapter of mutual trust and respect with its neighbour, or Pakistan will retain the right to use all legal, diplomatic, and, if necessary, military options to defend its borders, its citizens, and its sovereignty.
Pakistan champions peace, but it will never tolerate softness when it comes to protecting its soil and nation. This nation, its army, and its leadership remain committed to the pledge that safeguarding every breath, every moment, and every inch of our beloved homeland is their foremost duty.
The writer is an old Aitchisonian who believes in freedom of expression, a freelance columnist, entrepreneur and social activist.