Taliban calls India a ‘significant regional partner’ after officials meet.

Pakistan and the Theater of the Absurd: A Tale of Strategic Chaos

9 Jan 2025

For decades, Pakistan nurtured the Taliban—training, arming, and collaborating with the group that now rules Afghanistan. At first glance, one might think this relationship would grant Pakistan significant influence over its war-torn neighbor, offering strategic depth and geopolitical leverage. However, reality paints a starkly different picture.

Today, the Taliban has evolved into one of Pakistan’s most significant challenges. The cross-border strikes and rising tensions along the Durand Line exemplify how the Taliban is now biting the hand that once fed it.

The Fallout of Pakistan-Taliban Relations

The Christmas 2024 Air Strikes

On Christmas 2024, the Pakistan Air Force conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province, targeting Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts. Pakistan claimed to have neutralized several TTP leaders. However, the Taliban countered, accusing Pakistan of killing 46 civilians, mostly women and children. Retaliating swiftly, the Taliban launched strikes into Pakistan.

Pakistan’s response? Silence. It brushed aside the Taliban’s counterattacks, pretending they never happened.

India’s Strategic Intervention

Amidst this chaos, India stepped in. The Ministry of External Affairs condemned Pakistan’s aggression against Afghanistan, emphasizing civilian casualties caused by Pakistan’s airstrikes.

On January 8, 2024, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai. This marked the highest-level engagement between India and the Taliban since their 2021 takeover.

Indian media and political analysts noted this as a pivotal moment. Editorials in Pakistan’s leading newspapers, such as Dawn and The Express Tribune, expressed growing anxiety over India’s diplomatic overtures in Afghanistan. Some even warned of a two-front threat for Pakistan: India in the east and Afghanistan in the west.

Pakistan’s Two-Front Nightmare

For years, Pakistan and China attempted to corner India with the possibility of a two-front war. Now, the tables have turned. While India mends ties with China, Pakistan is entangled in a vicious battle against the Taliban and the TTP on its western front.

The statistics for 2024 alone highlight the severity of Pakistan’s predicament: over 900 Pakistanis—both civilians and security forces—were killed in terror attacks. The TTP has emerged as a potent force, leaving Pakistan grappling with the consequences of its past policies.

India’s Calculated Approach

While Pakistan falters, India has played its cards wisely. Afghanistan has always been central to India’s strategic and economic ambitions. From funding development projects to providing humanitarian aid, India has invested heavily in Afghanistan’s stability.

Recognizing the Taliban’s firm grip on Afghanistan, India has pragmatically engaged with the group. Agreements have been reached to support Afghan healthcare and refugee rehabilitation. Moreover, India has bolstered trade and aid using the Chabahar Port, contrasting sharply with Pakistan’s recent forced deportation of nearly half a million Afghan refugees, exacerbating Kabul’s crisis.

Lessons from the Theater of Geopolitics

The diverging trajectories of India and Pakistan underscore a critical lesson: in geopolitics, strategy triumphs over sentiment.

Pakistan’s dream of achieving “strategic depth” through the Taliban has devolved into a nightmare. Decades of duplicity are now yielding destructive consequences, leaving Pakistan cornered in the theater of geopolitics. Meanwhile, India’s clear-eyed and pragmatic approach ensures its interests are safeguarded, China’s influence countered, and Pakistan increasingly sidelined.

The message is clear: actions have consequences. And in this theater, only calculated moves can turn the tide.

I am a hard-working and driven individual who isn't afraid to face a challenge. I'm passionate about my work and I know how to get the job done. I would describe myself as an open and honest person who doesn't believe in misleading other people and tries to be fair in everything I do.

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