CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM IN PAKISTAN AND PAK-AFGHAN RELATIONS
Introduction
Since the fall of Kabul Afghan soil has become a safe heaven for terrorists groups operating in Pakistan
Maleeha Lodhi
When the US Army was leaving Kabul and Taliban was taking power it was considered than that peace would come in the region. Contrary to this, Afghan soil has now become a safe haven for multiple terrorist groups like TTP, TTA, IS-K, and Baloch separatists. The Global Terrorism Index 2025 shows that Pakistan has risen to become the second-most affected country by cross-terrorism in the world, after the fourth in 2024.
The report documents a 45-percent increase in the number of deaths due to terrorism, where the number of victims increased to 1,081 in 2024 as compared to 748 in 2023. More importantly, terrorist attacks increased more than twice, 517 in 2023 and 1,099 in 2024 which was the first year since the inception of the Index to have over one thousand attacks.
Taliban provide shelter to these groups because of ideological factors, their alliance against the USSR during cold war during cold war and due to Indian backing, these terrorist groups launch attacks from Afghan soil causing damage to Pakistan. However, by taking few measures like binding the Taliban government not to shelter terrorists, border fencing, retracting refugees, economic cooperation, and promoting regional cooperation and dialogue. Pakistan will be able to control cross-border terrorism while strengthening Pak-Afghan relations.
The paper will look at the complex aspects of cross-border terrorism originating out of Afghan soil and why the Afghan Taliban still backs militant elements and recommend the overall actions to be taken to solve the issue without destroying Pak-Afghan relations.
Current Security Challenges due to Cross-Border terrorism from Afghan soil.
Pakistan is facing severe security challenges due to cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan. According to DG ISPR Major General Ahmad Sharif in 2025 about 594 security personnel and 132 civilians were martyred in terrorist attacks. These huge number of casualties shows that cross-border terrorism is severely damages Pakistan.
Escalation in terrorism activities
Pakistan is confronted with unprecedented security threats of terrorist groups that act with impunity on the Afghan soil. The merging of Taliban in Afghanistan has failed to bring stability in the region as it was expected; instead, it has emboldened the anti-Pakistan militant groups especially the TTP, now they have the largest terrorist network in Afghanistan.
The TTP has become the swiftest expanding terrorist organization in the world with an apocalyptic 90 percent increase in the number of deaths attributed to the organization in comparison with 2024. The Global terrorism index 2025 also states that in 2024, the TTP executed 482 attacks and 558 deaths in 2024, which is 52% of the total number of people killed in terrorism related attacks in Pakistan. It is an increase of 91 percent compared to the 293 deaths in 2023.
As of 2025, TTP launched more than 600 attacks on Pakistani soil; most of them in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, are associated with murdering security-personnel and civilians. According to the Pakistan Security Report 2024 by PIPS, among all the 521 attacks the year saw in 2024, 335 were conducted by religiously motivated militant groups such as the TTP and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). Notably, November 2025, suicide attack on the Cadet College Wana, in South Waziristan, which security forces dismantled successfully. but still paved the wave of fear of an other APS Peshawar of 2012.
Training infrastructures and safe havens in Kabul
A recent report of the UN Security Council reveals shocking information concerning the Afghan Taliban support towards the TTP. The report ascertained that the Afghan Taliban pays about $43,000 a month to the TTP helping it to operate and expand. The TTP has been providing new training facilities in the Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan.
In an October 2025 press conference, Pakistani Army spokesperson Ahmad Sharif said: “It is also that Afghanistan is being turned into a base of operations against Pakistan and proof and evidence of that is available“. A TTP suicide bomber who was a Pakistani by the name Rohullah was reported in The Pakistan Security Report 2024 to have been able to train in a madrassa in the Dangam province of Afghanistan,
how he was sent to Pakistan to make his mission and was prepared and trained by Maulvi Sabghatullah.
Cross-border infiltration and security violations
The 2,640 kilometer Durand Line that divides Pakistan and Afghanistan is an area that has been the point of numerous conflicts and attempted intrusions. In the year 2024 alone 25 border attacks and clashes along Pak-Afghan border have led to 143 deaths comprising 136 militants and seven security personnel. There have been numerous attacks of large infiltration attempts that have been thwarted by Pakistani forces.
The next day on the night of the 22-23 of March 2024 dozens of TTP terrorists were trying to get inside the Pakistani-Afghanistan border through the Ghulam Khan-Kallay, North Waziristan. The TTP move was thwarted when Pakistani Frontier Corps shot dead 16 TTP people. On April 5-6, 2024, eight additional TTP terrorists were assassinated when trying to cross the border fence.
The greatest involvement was on April 27, 2025, after Pakistani border guards killed 54 terrorists who tried to illegally enter the country via the Bibak Ghar region of the Hasan Khel region of North Waziristan. This marked the largest number of terrorists ever killed by paramilitary forces in a single engagement according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in the entire counter-terrorism campaign by the Pakistan counter-terrorism forces.
Strategic and Economic repercussions.
Cross-border terrorism has dire economic implications. Massive revenue losses to Pakistan are represented by tax evasion by way of large-scale smuggling. A report issued by the XCEPT reveals that Pakistan has one of the highest risk rating regarding money laundering and terrorist financing and that smuggling of goods and border flow of currency make the acute economic crisis of Pakistan worse.
The security concerns have made foreign direct investment to reduce drastically. When there have been numerous attacks on the Chinese nationals who are working on CPEC projects, China has repeatedly called on Pakistan to ensure that it keeps security risks to a minimum. The dominance of the key crossing points of the border-Torkham and Chaman- gives Pakistan an extra advantage and about 40 percent of the custom revenues from Afghanistan crosses from these nodes.
Pakistan has made use of these economic dependencies with new bank guarantees, restrictions on imports, and a 10 percent duty on the Afghan transit goods which will directly affect the Taliban’s revenue. Nonetheless, this approach has provoked the protests of Afghan merchants and has not forced the Taliban to take any serious steps towards the TTP.
Reasons why the Afghan Taliban Support and provide safe havens to terrorists.
According to Mushahid Hussain Syed following are the major reasons.
- Ideological factor: Afghan Taliban and TTP want to impose Shariah.
- Alliance of TTP and other terrorist groups during the war against the USSR.
- Foreign funding especially Indian backing for terrorist groups.
- Afghan Taliban doesn’t want internal instability by taking actions against TTP and IS-K.
historical and ideological bondage
The TTP and Afghan Taliban have many historical, ethnic, religious, and cultural connections that dates back to decades. The two groups adhere to a radical interpretation of the Islamic law and have fought jointly in armed conflicts. According to Riaz Mohammad Khan, the former Pakistani Foreign Secretary, as he writes in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Conflict, Extremism, and Resistance to Modernity, “The rise of extremism and religious militancy in Pakistan has inextricable links with ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan.”
TTP was established in 2007, but it originally worked on the influence of Al-Qaeda, although soon it formed strong relations with the Afghan Taliban. The members of the TTP group also engaged in the war against the NATO troops in collaboration with the Afghan Taliban troops. This experience of battle front brought ties of loyalty that cut across the countries. These groups have committed themselves to the leaders and have a unanimous goal which is the formation of the Islamic emirates that will be ruled by their understanding of the Sharia law.
Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, a security analyst based in Islamabad notes that the relationship between the Taliban and the TTP is founded on ideology and that it is difficult to make the anti-Pakistani armed group relinquish its ideologies by the Afghanistan government. The ideological commitment of the Taliban was clearly shown when they opted to confront U.S military attack in 2001 as opposed to deserting Al-Qaeda.
Wartime Alliance.
In the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan, November 7, 2025 says: Terrorists of the so-called TTP were exiled to Afghanistan in the aftermath of the year 2015 Operation Zarb-e-Azb conducted by Pakistan. They supported the Afghan Taliban in their struggle against the ISAF(international security assistance force) and the then Afghan Government. The Taliban regime is currently hiding these terrorists and their families as a form of repaying their loyalty to Afghan Taliban.
The TTP gave vital assistance to the Afghan Taliban in their resistance against the U.S and NATO forces. The TTP fighters engaged in battle operations, information exchange, and logistics. Currently in authority, the Afghan Taliban considers backing the TTP as a way of remembering the wartime partnership and pay duty to fellows who sacrificed their lives in support of the Taliban cause.
This debt of obligation fosters a moral obligation amongst the ranks of the Taliban to defend TTP members and this is seen as a betrayal of Islamic tenets of loyalty and brotherhood. UN accounts testify that the Afghan government has given key reports of the TTP leaders permanent residence, vehicles and special arms licenses which shows recognition and not just tolerance.
Strategic influence against Pakistan
The TTP is an instrument that is employed by the Taliban to leverage Pakistan in a wider geopolitical measure. The ability to release or control TTP operations has, therefore, enabled the Taliban to have a tool of pressure to shape Pakistani policy on several matters, such as acknowledgement of the Taliban government, economic aid and border conflict.
In relation to Pakistani airstrikes, the Defence Minister of Afghanistan wrote on social media that Taliban will not forgive this cowardice act but rather deems the defence of its territory and sovereignty its inalienable right. This rhetoric demonstrates that the Taliban appeals to the issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity over the problem of the TTP instead of viewing it as a problem of terrorism.
The Taliban also has a track record of rejecting international pressure even when it is under the threat of extinction. According to former officials of the Pakistani foreign ministry, the belief held by Pakistan that the Taliban would control the TTP was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Taliban priorities and decision-making processes, which values ideological commitment more than on the practicality of international relations.
Measures that can be Taken to Prevent Cross-border terrorism, while strengthening Pak-Afghan relations.
Pakistan can be able to control and prevent cross-border terrorism from Afghan soil by taking the following measures. Using regional and international forums to bind Taliban to not provide shelter to terrorists. One of the major reasons behind the strained Pak-Afghan relations is Taliban providing shelter to terrorists. Pakistan through dialogue, by using regional and global forums need to bind the Afghan Taliban to not provide safe havens to TTP, IS-K and other anti-Pakistani groups. As the Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif Said; “As far as Pak-Afghan relation is concerned, it won’t be good unless the Taliban taking actions against terrorists”.
Border-fencing: A major step sttoping terrorist from entering Pakistan.
Pak-Afghan border, the Durand line is a long porous border. Pakistan has fenced and still needs to fence it in order to prevent terrorists from entering into Pakistan. Once the foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said,” Pakistan will be able to prevent cross-border terrorism, border security will be tightened, and the fencing of the porous border will be done”. By 2024, large sections are still open, subjecting it to intrusion. The fence must be fitted with the current surveillance technologies such as thermal imaging cameras, motion sensors, and drone surveillance to arrest and stop any infiltration attempts.
It is important to deploy more border posts in strategic points especially strategic high infiltration areas such as North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Bajaur districts. Such posts must have superior communication systems that can respond quickly to coordinate responses. The Frontier Corps needs to be better trained in the area of counter-infiltration operations and provided with the modern equipment night vision devices, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and counter-IED devices.
Economic cooperation to strengthen Pak-Afghan relations.
Afghanistan is a landlocked country , Pakistan provide shot route to the sea for trade. On the other hand, Afghanistan provide shortest possible route to the Central Asian republics(CARs). By providing each other economic routes through cooperation, Pakistan will be able to prevent cross-border terrorism. While strengthening the Pak-Afghan relations. According to the reports, due to the border closure, approximately 320$ millions loss happens in trade to both countries. Pakistan must also be able to use its tactical control over the major trade routes in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has a strong economic bargaining power with an estimated 40 percent of the customary revenues of Afghanistan passing through the Torkham and Chaman crossings. This approach is evidenced by the 10 percent duty on Afghan transit goods, which is controversial. Economic measures are, however, to be tuned well so as to pressurize the Taliban but at the same time without ruining the Afghanistan civil population and ending the economic linkage altogether.
Retraiting refugees
Pakistan opened its doors for its Afghan brother during the war against the soviet union and provided space to almost 4.5 million Afghanis. But since the situation is under control it is the need of the hour for both countries. For Afghanistan to accept refugees and Pakistan to return them safely in order to prevent terrorism and strengthen the relations.
Curbing Indian involvement in Afghanistan in order to prevent cross-border terrorism.
“We know very well who is backing terrorists in Afghanistan” Defence minister “khawaja Asif”
Pakistan provide proofs of the Indian involvement in Afghan soil to support terrorists financially in order to destabilize Pakistan. However, it is important for Kabul to not provide space to New Delhi in order to prevent cross-border terrorism from its soil to Islamabad.
Regional cooperation and CPEC as a tool to strengthen Pak-Afghan relations and to prevent cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan needs to cooperate with Afghanistan through a regional platform and admitting it to CPEC in order to strengthen relations. Recently, China brooked Pak-afghan dialogue but due to Kabul’s unwillingness they remained unsuccessful.
Sanctions must be aimed at the sources of revenue that can be used to fund terrorism without affecting humanitarian trading. The resources of militant groups can be minimized by increased monitoring of customs to eliminate the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and currency. The bank guarantee requirements and import restrictions must be maintained but there should be a clear communication of the terms on which they are to be lifted.
Pakistan ought to provide positive economic incentives on counter-terrorist cooperation to Taliban. More power supply, infrastructure development support, and easing of international developmental assistance may be made in lieu of confirmed action against TTP camps and leadership. In such carrot-and-stick technique, it is understood that pure coercion cannot work forever.
Critical Analysis
Afghan Taliban continue to support anti-Pakistan operating from their soil and resulting in security challenges in Pakistan. Moreover, The economic factors cannot be overlooked either. The already weakened economy of Pakistan cannot afford to continue spending on security if terrorism continues to ward off investors. The targeting of Chinese citizens is a threat to its most important relationship and its CPEC projects that are vital for its economic growth.
Regional dynamics also introduce another layer of complexity. India’s support for the Afghan Taliban, which portrays Pakistan’s actions as violations of Afghan sovereignty, also creates geopolitical issues. Iran’s advice to Pakistan to exercise restraint from the perspective of regional stability does not help Pakistan in any way. China’s growing frustration over the security of its nationals and investments is another problem that Pakistan cannot afford. However by dialogue, cooperation, and realist policies Pakistan can prevent cross-border terrorism.
lastly, Afghan Taliban should refrain from providing shelter to TTP, IS-K, and other terrorist groups to carryout attacks in Pakistan to create broader regional peace. However, by enhancing dialogue, cooperation border-fencing and accepting Durand line Pak-Afghan relations can be strengthened and cross-border terrorism can be prevented.
