Military reckoned ‘good’ Afghan insurgents were separate from ‘bad’ Pakistani insurgents but distinction has blurred
Days after the Taliban swept to power in 2021, Pakistan’s then spymaster appeared in Kabul on what looked to many like a victory lap. Sipping tea in the lobby of the Afghan capital’s fanciest hotel, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed told reporters: “Don’t worry, everything will be OK.”
This week it became clear just how badly Pakistan had miscalculated how it could rely on the Taliban, as Islamabad unleashed airstrikes in Afghanistan and troops from both countries fought each other on the border.
Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, said patience had finally run out after calling repeatedly on the Taliban to stop Pakistani militants from using Afghan territory as a sanctuary from which to attack.
Pakistan’s predicament is the mirror opposite of accusations made by the US-led international coalition in Afghanistan against Pakistan before 2021: that the Taliban were being allowed to use Pakistan as a safe haven.
