Pakistan’s Kabul strikes on TTP leaders mark new counterterrorism approach, report says

Islamabad: Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders in Kabul last month were part of a wider shift in Islamabad’s counterterrorism approach, according to a report by The Express Tribune.

The operation, described by officials as delivering an “unmistakable message” to the Taliban regime, marked one of Pakistan’s most assertive actions since the Afghan Taliban took power in 2021.

Officials cited in the report said the strikes were intended to demonstrate that Pakistan would no longer confine its responses to its own territory if cross-border attacks originating in Afghanistan continued. A senior official quoted by the paper said the Kabul operation was “not a one-off episode” and signalled a broader doctrine in which Pakistan would act directly if the Taliban failed to restrain the TTP.

The strikes reportedly targeted hideouts and facilitators linked to recent attacks inside Pakistan. According to officials who spoke to the publication, the operation had a “psychological impact” on the Afghan Taliban leadership and its security apparatus, creating a new sense of caution within their ranks.

The report further states that after the suicide attack in Islamabad near the judicial complex, Afghan Taliban intermediaries privately contacted Pakistani authorities, seeking to de-escalate tensions and distancing themselves from the incident. Officials described this outreach as unusual, noting that the Afghan side typically dismissed Pakistan’s concerns or shifted responsibility towards TTP factions.

According to the assessment cited, this shift in behaviour was driven by the Taliban’s fear of further retaliatory action. Officials said Kabul now recognises Pakistan’s ability and willingness to hit targets deep inside Afghanistan if attacks continue. Security authorities have observed a reduction in the number of terrorist incidents in the period following the Kabul strikes, although they caution that the threat persists.

The report adds that the operation disrupted certain TTP networks, pushing the group into a more defensive posture and limiting its ability to coordinate additional assaults. Sources told the newspaper that Pakistan’s stance is now explicit: any future attack launched from Afghan soil will be met with an immediate and decisive response. One official stated that Islamabad will not engage in lengthy diplomatic exchanges and will treat any such incident as a trigger for direct action.