Pakistan has thrust itself into open warfare with Afghanistan, inaugurating Operation Gajab Lil-Haq through a ferocious wave of airstrikes on Taliban-held terrains. Focused on strategic hubs in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, the assaults represent Islamabad’s muscular riposte to provocations from across the Durand Line. Overnight bombings, corroborated by eyewitness accounts of jet flyovers and blasts, highlight Pakistan’s unchallenged air prowess against a foe without wings.
Security insiders told Dawn of Taliban routs, including fighters ditching gear for Pakistani capture, and crippling hits on Afghan infrastructure at key border points. The armed forces stand vigilant, vowing unyielding protection. PM Shehbaz Sharif’s address framed the context: pursuit of tranquility met with uncompromised retaliation.
Disparate tallies fuel the fog of war. Pakistan reports 133 Taliban fatalities and 200 injuries; Afghanistan admits eight deaths and 11 wounded but claims 55 Pakistani soldiers down and territorial gains. ISPR’s Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry will dissect developments in a 4 PM briefing.
Beyond the barrages lies a deeper saga of mistrust, militias, and map disputes. This escalation risks spiraling, imperiling trade routes, aid flows, and stability in a powder-keg neighborhood. Pakistan’s gambit tests Taliban mettle, potentially reshaping alliances and alerting distant capitals to mediate before lines harden irreparably.