Opinion | Rising Tensions Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Pakistan today faces escalating tensions with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, a situation shaped by decades of strategic calculations, proxy policies, and unresolved historical disputes. What was once viewed as a strategic advantage has increasingly turned into a source of insecurity. Cross-border strikes, militant violence, and diplomatic hostility now define the relationship, raising serious questions about sovereignty, legality, and the humanitarian cost of conflict.
Recently, I came across heartbreaking news circulating on social media that deeply disturbed me. It was about a young boy named Noor Alam. He was weeping uncontrollably, calling out for his parents who had been killed the night before. Eighteen members of his family lost their lives during the recent tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Reading about it was painful enough, but seeing the boy cry and repeatedly call for his father and mother was something that shook the soul.
The innocence of his tone and words, dripping with unbearable grief and sorrow, reflects the pain that no child should ever go through in life. He was a boy with simple ambitions and dreams—celebrating Eid with his friends, wearing new clothes, eating sweets, and enjoying the warmth of his family. Like every child, he must have been eagerly waiting to meet people and enjoy the joy of the festival.

But when he woke up the next morning, everything had changed. The world he knew had vanished overnight. In a single night, he lost eighteen members of his family. The joy he had been waiting for turned into unimaginable grief. Instead of Eid celebrations, he now faces silence. Instead of laughter, there is emptiness. Instead of love and protection, there is loneliness.
This tragedy makes us realize the larger crisis at hand. At the center of all this tension is the contested border created by the Durand Line in 1893. Afghanistan has never accepted it as a legitimate international border, while Pakistan considers the issue settled.

The rise of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has made the situation more intense. Pakistan claims that the Afghan government is giving shelter to TTP militants. Therefore, Pakistan has been conducting airstrikes inside Afghanistan, claiming that it is targeting militant hideouts.
But this raises an important question: in the absence of clear and transparent evidence before the international community, are such strikes not an infringement of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity? Sovereignty is the foundation of international law.
Moreover, if civilians are killed and civilian property is destroyed, does this not contradict the protections outlined in the Geneva Conventions, which emphasize safeguarding non-combatants during armed conflict? International humanitarian law demands distinction and proportionality. When innocent lives are lost, questions naturally arise.
For decades, Pakistan has faced allegations in global discussions of nurturing militant groups as strategic tools. Organizations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen have frequently appeared in debates about proxy warfare. Over time, however, the bitter reality of blowback has emerged. Extremism does not remain confined. Pakistan itself has suffered deeply from militant violence within its borders. In nurturing instability, it has also tasted its painful consequences.
However, beyond politics and strategy, there is another truth that is deeper and more important. Recent reports indicate that 42 civilians have been killed and 104 wounded in days of intense fighting. These preliminary figures point to a worsening humanitarian situation. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has urged an immediate end to the conflict, noting that around 16,400 households have been displaced and that aid distribution has been severely affected. Border areas continue to bear the brunt of artillery exchanges and aerial bombardments.
Children like Noor Alam suffer the greatest loss. Conflicts between nations can be defined in terms of security and sovereignty, but for the common man, conflicts are humanitarian disasters. A child does not understand borders, political disputes, or propaganda. He knows only love, security, and family.
Ramadan is a month that teaches the virtues of patience, compassion, and unity. It reminds us to feed the hungry, care for the weak, and spread mercy. Does Islam teach us to shed one another’s blood? Does it teach us to kill the innocent? The true teachings of Islam are peace, mercy, and respect for life. Violence in the name of Islam is against its true spirit.
When Muslim nations are locked in confrontation, the pain feels even deeper. The killing of innocent civilians cannot be justified under any political narrative. War transforms political disagreements into human tragedies.
Unlike militaristic policies, India has adopted a development-oriented foreign policy in Afghanistan. Humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicine, and infrastructure reflects India’s commitment to the Afghan people. This shows that peace can be achieved through cooperation, not compulsion.
The responsibility of maintaining global peace also rests with institutions such as the United Nations. Strong and sincere diplomatic efforts must be made to prevent further civilian casualties and resolve disputes through dialogue rather than force.
My question remains: Who will answer for the tears of Noor Alam? Who will bring back his parents? Who will restore the eighteen lives lost in one night? These questions haunt every conscience.
We have come into this world for a higher purpose—to rise above ego, pride, and hatred. Conflict brings only destruction and regret. Every life is valuable. Every child deserves safety. Every family deserves peace.
May no child ever have to cry like Noor Alam again.
May humanity awaken before more innocent lives are lost.
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