Six soldiers, including two officers, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a security forces’ post in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan yesterday. Six terrorists were neutralized by the troops in the subsequent clearance operation.

According to Pakistan army’s media wing, “As own troops foiled the initial attempt of intrusion, the terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the post, followed by multiple suicide bombing attacks, which led to the collapse of a portion of a building, resulting into shahadat (martyrdom) of five brave sons of the soil.”

That the specter of terrorism is alive in the erstwhile federally administered tribal areas in particular is a grim reality. That our boys have been laying down their lives days in and days out in order to protect and preserve country’s territorial integrity is a also a fact. At present, however, Afghanistan has become a veritable arm of the forces that are inimical to the existence of Pakistan.

That the rulers of Kabul have been providing shelter and sustenance to all those who often make forays into Pakistan to wreak death and destruction is no secret. It is a fact that the arrival of Taliban 2.0 in 2019 did not augur well for Pakistan at all; it in fact led to adding to the capability and capacity of the leadership of so-called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in a meaningful manner. Here I wish to make a couple of points in order to advance my argument.

The current leadership in Afghanistan is overtly hostile towards Pakistan and its interests. However, they have strengthened, by and large, their relationship with Iran in recent times. Needless to say, Iran is a critical country with stakes in Afghanistan and shares historical, cultural, economic, and linguistic ties with this landlocked country.

It is important to note that although some Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Turkey, have tried to influence developments in Afghanistan, Iran is by far Afghanistan’s most important neighbour. In my view, therefore, Iran can help Pakistan overcome the growing belligerence of the Afghan rulers. The question whether or not Iran will oblige Pakistan in this regard has no easy answer at this point in time though.

Jafar Sadiq, Dubai

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024