Pak-Afghan Border Skirmishes and Terrorism Watch

[Javha]

The Islamic Emirate is pumped up in the holy month of Ramazan. What's the surprise here?

 

[Joe Shearer]

Pak should actually take over Wakhan.. and if the afgandus try to attack. Carpet bomb the shithole state.

What is this Pakistani obsession with the Wakhan Corridor?
What is its significance?

 

[Joe Shearer]

You know the more this sort of rhetoric comes out of Afghanistan, the more and more it is evident that a conflict along the western border is inevitable.

To an outsider, it sounds as if both sides are spoiling for a fight.
Outsiders can only look on, bemused.

Definition: bemused

"puzzled, confused, or bewildered:"

Joe looked a little bemused"

 

[Sainthood 2.0]

There's no military solution to this only true democracy or else people will express themselves through militant means

 

[Sainthood 2.0]

That’s what happens when you call the country and “Islamic republic” but also try to make the country secular.
The longer Pakistan stays in an ideology crisis, the more opportunity it gives to ignorants to exploit Islam for their personal gains.

I used to be very anti TTP and TLP
But I now realize that they help keep our wannabe Jeet slash new money elite populace in line for which I respect their indirect role in our society

Theres no ideology crisis in Pak
Its only wannabe Jeet so called elites who have a crisis not vast majority of Pakistanis
We are very clear that we are a democratic, Islamic republic with sharia inspired laws like Malaysia/Iran within the framework of modern republics

But Army takes away our democracy, wannabe jeet elite ally's themselves with that army to further curtail the right of the majority populace
Punjab, Sindh react through JUI/TLP, Tribals through TTP, Baloch through BLA
The core problem is democracy, where the majority isn't given an opportunity to chart their way forward

 

[13 Assassins]

Wrong.

Then why after 20 years such people can continue to hit Pakistan with relative ease? You know I'm right accept the bitter truth. Thousands of Pak soliders have lost thier lives because of incompetent tea biscuit Generals.

 

[RescueRanger]

A few points come to mind.

1. Why can't Pakistan Armed Forces win this fight on its own against all elements of Taliban, AQ, ISIS, TTP, BLA etc , since the border is shared with Afghanistan ?

2. Previously, USA helped with weapons in 1980's to fight against Soviets and then in 2000's to equip, train and weaponize so Pakistan fights terrorists.

3. Now help can come from China, but then again, why is help required from a foreign country like a superpower to engage the enemy/terrorist. How would USA feel about Chinese access and intervention in Afghanistan ?

4. What if the next contenders to fight/join the WOT are Turks or Russians ? Wouldn't Russians want influence and presence in Afghanistan again ? And would Pakistan allow Chinese or Russian or Turk boots inside Pakistan and the repercussions that follow with it.

5. What if all the weapons, equipment including intel assets are provided to Pakistan to fight and win this WOT, just like most of the PAF is equipped with Chinese jets and almost all armor is Chinese tanks. What more is required since the man power(number of troops) is already there.

These are all very valid questions, the problem stems from a lack of foresight and leadership at the upper echelons of our country, corruption and a crisis of our own making. I discussed these questions particularly number 3 and 4 in a post in Dec 2023:

Discussion: India Pakistan Clash in the Next Few Months?

Best way to deal with Talibs is to support anti-Talib militia. Conventional war does not work against TTP/TTA as Pakistan learned in early WoT when TTP would retreat to Afghanistan, regroup, and recapture Pakistani districts, after which it would switch to guerilla warfare tactics. Yes but that...

defencepk.com

 

[Sharma Ji]

I used to be very anti TTP and TLP
But I now realize that they help keep our wannabe Jeet slash new money elite populace in line for which I respect their indirect role in our society

Theres no ideology crisis in Pak
Its only wannabe Jeet so called elites who have a crisis not vast majority of Pakistanis
We are very clear that we are a democratic, Islamic republic with sharia inspired laws like Malaysia/Iran within the framework of modern republics

But Army takes away our democracy, wannabe jeet elite ally's themselves with that army to further curtail the right of the majority populace
Punjab, Sindh react through JUI/TLP, Tribals through TTP, Baloch through BLA
The core problem is democracy, where the majority isn't given an opportunity to chart their way forward

reads like

you

know

the score

 

[PakAl]

@RescueRanger @Waz Could you merge all these different Pakistan Afghanistan threads in to one please.

 

[Fatman17]

US urges Afghan Taliban to curb terrorist threats

Reassures allies that Washington is closely watching developments in Afghanistan and ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.

www.dawn.com

 

[RescueRanger]

To an outsider, it sounds as if both sides are spoiling for a fight.
Outsiders can only look on, bemused.

Definition: bemused

"puzzled, confused, or bewildered:"

Joe looked a little bemused"

Well look at it this way, will India shower militants on their side of the border with garlands? Perspective is important.

Frozen conflicts are never good case in point = Georgia, Crimea, Ukraine/Russia.

Afghanistan's leadership has so far refused to honor any peacful overtures from the Pakistani side. People overlook this because of who is currently in power, to me that is much of a muchness, I don't care if it's Khan at the helm or Safari Suit Showbaaz, the point is - national security is at risk we can see that militants in Pakistan have increaingly been equipped with weaponry from ex-ANA stock






Increasing complexity of roadside IED's used against Pakistan security forces in KP and Balochistan indicate a growing level of competency and information sharing among militant groups

---

So when exactly do we as a state look hard and long both at internal and external threats - especially at an increasingly hostile leadership along our western border with links to militants inside Pakistan and the ability to harbor them and equip them?

---

Next comes the issue of narcotics: According to a RUSI policy paper dated 2019 - Governments in the region are to blame for failing to curb the rapid expansion of the narcotics trade since 1979.

Warlords in Afghanistan are responsible for the $80 million revenue in drug trafficking which supports the Taliban. There are around 65,000 drug cultivators in Helmand supplying 1,500 traffickers.

This has created a black market economy involving extremist organisations leading to criminal and corrupt control of a significant proportion of the regional economies in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While the opium trade is the major source of funding for militants and criminal syndicates,
all three countries are facing major problems associated with opiate addiction. Ninety-four per cent of world opium production transits the region, 55 per cent via Iran (which has 2 million addicts), 30 per cent via Pakistan (which has 3 million addicts) and the remaining 15 per cent via central Asia.

Narcotics revenue amounts to half of Afghanistan’s GDP and 2.5 million people depend directly on the production of, and trade in, narcotics. [1]

Issue with smuggling: The illegal transit of goods through Afghanistan is a principal source of conflict and mistrust. With the lack of imposition of customs duties, criminal gangs flourish.[2]

Energy Security:

Pakistan has sizeable reserves of gas and coal in Baluchistan. Natural gas represents half of Pakistan’s energy consumption. In recent years, there have been over 800 attacks and incidents of violence in Baluchistan, and Pakistan is very sensitive to the effect of these attacks on its energy security.

There is also further speculation that Baluchistan may also hold large reserves of crude oil. This region therefore is of crucial strategic importance for regional energy security. Natural gas is currently the country’s principal energy source.

Indeed, Pakistan has one of the world’s most natural gas-dependent economies. Of Pakistan’s proven natural gas reserves in 2006, estimated at 28 trillion cubic feet (tcf), as much as 19 trillion tcf (68 per cent) are located in Baluchistan.

The province accounts for between 36 to 45 per cent of Pakistan’s natural gas production, but
consumes only a modest 17 per cent of this figure.

The greatest proportion of the province’s contribution to the Pakistan’s natural gas production comes from the long-operating Sui gas fields in the Bugti tribal domain, located in areas most seriously afflicted by Baluch militancy.

The state-owned Sui Southern Gas Company alone maintains a 27,542 km pipeline distribution network, sprawling across the two provinces of Sindh and Baluchistan. According to the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation 2006 report, a total of 843 attacks and incidents of violence were reported in different parts of Baluchistan, including fifty-four attacks on law-enforcement agencies, thirty-one attacks on gas pipelines, 417 rocket attacks on various targets, 291 mine blasts, and fifty abductions.

In the same period, a total of 166 incidents of violence were reported in the Kohlu (Marri tribal headquarters) district, including forty-five bomb blasts and 110 rocket attacks. In 2023 there were 110 attacks in Balochistan mainly against security forces and infrastructure projects. [3]

Cross-Border Infiltration and Terrorism
Pakistan asserts that its suffering has increased due to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan as a result of failures in the War on Terror, since improvised explosives device (IED) attacks and other terrorist activities have increased in Pakistan.

The militant network responsible for most of these attacks originated across the border and includes Afghan, Chechen, Arab, Uzbek and Tajik fighters who find easy access to Pakistan through the porous Afghan-Pakistan border.

Afghanistan's demands of access to the port of Karachi and the Wagah Border (an Indo-Pakistani transit route), along with the removal of the remaining two items from the negative list.

Such a provision does not exist under the ATTA. The issue is two-fold: imported goods worth billions not required in Afghanistan are illegally re-routed to Pakistani markets to the detriment of local industry, incurring heavy loss to the national exchequer.

Secondly, Afghanistan’s demand for transit facilities for trade with India via Pakistan is not acceptable to Pakistan as neither country has established formal transit trade agreements. Kabul’s demand is perceived by the government of Pakistan as an Indian ploy.

Returning to your question about the Wakhan corridor:


The Wakhan Corridor, a tiny strip of land in Afghanistan's northeastern area, is vital to Pakistan's geostrategic and economic interests.

This research investigates the corridor's numerous dimensions and their consequences for Pakistan's interests. The Wakhan Corridor offers Pakistan a critical geostrategic buffer zone between itself and Central Asia.

Because of its location, Pakistan can efficiently handle its border with Afghanistan while still maintaining strategic depth in the region. The corridor acts as a physical barrier, preventing conflicts and instability from spreading into Pakistan's territory.

Furthermore, it provides Pakistan with a potential gateway to Central Asian markets, improving connectivity and trade opportunities in the region. The Wakhan Corridor plays a vital role in regional stability and cooperation.

Economically, the Wakhan Corridor has enormous potential for Pakistan's energy and trade sectors. The region is thought to be rich in natural resources, such as hydrocarbon deposits, minerals, and precious stones.

Wakhan is also the only part of Pakistan where exploration of mineral wealth has not been conducted since 2009.
--

In conclusion, let me ask you, faced with these persistent threats to national security, economy and national-interests, what is Pakistan to do? Sit idly by and let Afghanistan funnel weapons and personnel into Pakistan to destabilize its western flank?

 

[RescueRanger]

@RescueRanger @Waz Could you merge all these different Pakistan Afghanistan threads in to one please.

Give me a moment.

 

[RescueRanger]

@RescueRanger @Waz Could you merge all these different Pakistan Afghanistan threads in to one please.

Due to the size of both threads I will have to manually merge them. Will let you know when done.

 

[RescueRanger]

Threads on Afghanistan have now been merged - please avoid creating multiple threads and post all news/articles/posts and updates on this thread for clarity and helping us conserve bandwidth.

Thank you.

@PakAl

 

[KingQamaR]

I think it shows the short sightedness of some people in this reply section with comments about Pakistan shooting itself in its foot.They can't see that the situation tells there is major tension b/w these two countries. Although no war is on the horizon, it leads a path for a toxic future relationship. Kabul has to seize in its anti Pakistan elements it aids and stop stoking tensions on the bloody Durrand Line then peace talks initiate.