Kumar Bahukhandi
Does Taliban have power to challenge Pakistan
After the threat of action given by the Taliban to Pakistan, the question arises that how did the relations of this organization ruling Afghanistan deteriorate with the neighboring country? What is the role of the Taliban’s relations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in this? On what other issues are there disputes between the two countries and when has a situation of conflict arisen between the two? Apart from this, the biggest question is how much strength is there in the warning given by the Taliban to Pakistan? And how much power does it have? Let’s know
A glimpse of how relations between the Taliban ruling Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated rapidly in the last three years was seen on Tuesday when the Pakistani Air Force carried out air strikes in Paktika province of Afghanistan. So far, about 46 people have been reported dead here. No public statement has been made by Pakistan regarding these attacks. However, some reports have claimed, citing security agencies, that these attacks were carried out by Islamabad to target the leaders of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spreading terror in Pakistan. However, the Afghan Taliban has warned Pakistan that it will retaliate.
After this threat given by the Taliban to Pakistan, the question arises that how did the relations of this organization ruling Afghanistan deteriorate with the neighboring country? What role does the Taliban’s relationship with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan play in this? On what other issues are there disputes between the two countries and when has a situation of conflict arisen between the two? Apart from this, the biggest question is how much strength is there in the warning given by the Taliban to Pakistan? And how much power does it have? Let’s know…
First know – what threat did Afghanistan give to Pakistan?
The Foreign Office of Afghanistan has summoned the head of Pakistan’s mission posted in Kabul. Afghanistan will hand over a formal protest letter to him regarding the air strikes. Also, the diplomat will be warned about such action. National Defense Ministry spokesman Inayatullah Khaurazmi said that Afghanistan considers the air strikes a violation of international principles and an aggressive act. We will respond to this.
How did relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan deteriorate?
It is worth noting that three years ago on 15 August 2021, the Taliban captured the capital Kabul in Afghanistan. With this, the Taliban rule returned to the country after 20 years. A major reason for the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan was Pakistan, which supported the Islamic extremist organization on different occasions as well as gave shelter to its leaders in its country. In the last decade, after being surrounded by deteriorating relations with America and the issue of terrorism, Pakistan tried to establish such a government in Afghanistan, which would not harm its interests. It was also successful to a great extent in this.
However, after some time, cracks started appearing in the relations between Pakistan and Taliban. There were some important reasons behind this. For example-
- Border dispute
An imaginary Durand Line is considered to be the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, Afghanistan has been denying this line built by the British from the very beginning. It says that British officers drew this line to separate its Pashtun communities. This Durand Line is considered to be a major reason for the dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan hoped that after the arrival of the Taliban, it could snatch land from Afghanistan or resolve disputes related to it.
However, the Taliban did not approve of this policy of Pakistan. After coming to power, the Taliban has also started building some security posts to strengthen its claim here. Clashes were also seen between the two sides regarding this some time ago. In September this year, there was heavy firing between Pakistan and Taliban. In these attacks in Afghanistan’s Khost province, eight Taliban fighters, including two senior Afghan Taliban commanders Khalil and Jan Mohammad, were killed.
- Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
The second biggest reason for the dispute between Kabul and Islamabad is the terrorist activities of the Taliban-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The aim of TTP, formed in 2007 from the alliance of several terrorist organizations in Pakistan, is in four phases-
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. – Photo : social Media
What is the connection between Taliban and TTP?
It is worth noting that the connection between the Taliban of Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban is not only due to their activities, but also due to their religious ideology. That is, the core of both the organizations is the same. Taliban is a Pashto word, which means ‘student’. It was created by laborers, farmers and common people studying in madrassas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Most of the people involved in this organization are from the Pashtun community, whose dialect is also similar to Pashto. This community is mostly settled in the border areas of both the countries.
Most of the terrorists of Tehreek-e-Taliban have been associated with the Pashto community of Pakistan. In this sense, the Taliban in both the countries are considered to be supporters of each other.
If TTP is carrying out attacks, then why is Pakistan in conflict with the Taliban?
It is believed that TTP was set up in Pakistan by the Taliban itself. In fact, after the 9/11 attacks on America, America started attacks against Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The US also accused the Afghan Taliban of helping Al-Qaeda and ousted it from power in Afghanistan. Pakistan also attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan under pressure from the western countries in the hope of diplomatic and economic aid.
After this, the Taliban prepared to set up a similar organisation in Pakistan. It is said that when Pakistan gave shelter to Taliban leaders in the country for its own interests, during that time itself these people started preparing TTP fighters in Pakistan.
The Taliban prepared them not only to spread terror in Pakistan but also to fight against the western countries in Afghanistan itself. After conquering Afghanistan, the entire focus of the TTP is now focused on Pakistan and the Taliban has been providing protection to its fighters on many occasions. Due to the weak security arrangements on the 2640 kilometer border between the two countries, the terrorists of TTP hide in the border areas of Afghanistan after attacking Pakistan at will.
Pakistan has been continuously attacking TTP against itself. However, this is its second major attack across the border after the Taliban rule came to power in Afghanistan. Islamabad has carried out these attacks after the death of 16 Pakistani soldiers in an encounter with TTP terrorists in South Waziristan a week ago.
On the intervening night of March 17-18 this year, Pakistan carried out an airstrike in the Waziristan area of Afghanistan. According to reports, eight people lost their lives in the bombing by fighter jets in Khost and Paktika provinces. Even then, the Taliban had alleged that women and children were among those killed in the Pakistani attack.
How capable is the Taliban to face Pakistan?
- How big is the army?
An annual report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which provides information about the strength of global armies, says that the Afghan Taliban currently has 1,50,000 active fighters. Taliban military chief Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat said in 2023 that the Taliban regime wants to add 50,000 more fighters to its army. However, the time period for this was not fixed.
Not only this, since coming to power, the Taliban has not yet publicly disclosed the defense budget for Afghanistan. In this sense, it is not yet clear how much the strength of the Taliban has increased since establishing its rule. However, it has laid the foundation of three battalions under the Special Forces and the Eight Infantry Corps to formalize the army.
What weapons does the Taliban have?
The Afghan Taliban currently has a variety of armored vehicles, long-range guns, three light aircraft and 14 helicopters. Apart from this, it also has some Black Hawk helicopters made in the US. The Taliban got all these weapons after defeating the Afghan national security forces during the capture of Kabul.
Not only this, even after the US-led international coalition forces left Afghanistan in 2021, it got a large stockpile of weapons and military equipment. It is said that the coalition forces left behind guns, bombs and military equipment worth more than seven billion dollars. Apart from this, the Taliban also has some attack helicopters made in Russia, which it got from the old army of Afghanistan.
What are the challenges in the fight against Pakistan?
- Despite the presence of such a large amount of weapons and some aircraft, questions arise about the Taliban’s ability to fight Pakistan. In fact, international experts say that the Taliban may lack the ability to operate these weapons and aircraft. Most of the military technology of the US and Western countries is high-level and is also used differently from conventional weapons.
- Not only this, in the absence of knowledge of the maintenance of these weapons and the absence of foreign aid required for their use, these military equipment will not be as effective for the Taliban as their capabilities.
- Apart from this, the Taliban, which is isolated internationally, is also facing difficulties in training its army. According to experts, due to a large population of Afghanistan being less educated, they may face difficulties in training them like a formal army and strictly following orders.
- On the other hand, Pakistan’s military strength has increased continuously in the past years. In both the cases of Army and Air Force, the Pakistani army is more powerful than Afghanistan. However, the Taliban has a long record of defeating the more powerful US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. But this war was fought on its own land, where Taliban fighters used non-traditional methods against the armies. They also benefited greatly from the geographical conditions of the region.
The Afghan Taliban has been adopting these non-traditional methods to fight Pakistan as well. It is believed that the TTP’s activities against the Pakistani army are part of its plan. In future, to fight Pakistan, it can start a direct war by sending its own fighters instead of fighting indirectly through the TTP in the border areas, which can also increase the incidents of cross-border terrorism.
