Pakistan has issued its strongest warning yet to the Taliban government in Kabul, vowing to launch a full-scale military offensive after recent peace negotiations collapsed. Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared that the country is prepared for “open war” should the militant-backed attacks along the Afghan border continue.
The statement follows weeks of escalating violence after Pakistan accused the Taliban of harboring the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a group responsible for numerous deadly strikes inside Pakistani territory. Islamabad had temporarily agreed to a cease-fire to allow diplomatic mediation, but officials now say the Taliban failed to curb militant movements across the border.
Military sources revealed that Pakistani forces have already heightened their presence in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan regions, areas long vulnerable to cross-border infiltration. Meanwhile, air and artillery units have been placed on alert for potential retaliatory action.
The Taliban leadership, in response, has rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling the border operations violations of Afghan sovereignty. Despite international appeals for calm, both nations remain locked in a cycle of blame that threatens to further destabilize the region.
Observers warn that if diplomatic channels fail, the confrontation could evolve into one of the most serious regional conflicts since the Taliban’s return to power—pitting two neighboring Muslim nations against each other in a struggle over control, security, and influence in South Asia.