तालिबानी बूमरैंग… पाकिस्तान आर्मी की ‘जिहाद फैक्ट्री’ को आ गया स्वाद – taliban pakistan bitter sweet relationship explained pak army asim munir isi war game durand line opnd1
Last night Pakistan carried out air strikes in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. The reply came from Afghanistan. Today during the day Taliban carried out drone attacks inside Pakistan. That too on three military bases of Pakistan. The news even came that an attack took place just five kilometers away from the Prime Minister’s office in Islamabad. The sharp statements and clashes that have been going on between the two countries for the last few months have now taken the form of ‘open war’. But, the roots of this enmity are old. Almost ever since the Durand Line was drawn between the two countries. There has been a tussle between both sides regarding this since 1893.
Taliban Doesn’t accept it. The same Taliban, which was given birth by Pakistan Army as a jihadi army. Pakistan Army had planted Taliban there after Russia was uprooted from Afghanistan. Which took a front against America at the behest of Pakistan and in the end it also got victory. But, after coming to power in Afghanistan, Taliban has refused to follow the instructions of Pakistani Army. When this displeased Rawalpindi, i.e. Pakistan Army Headquarters, discord started. Now the Taliban created by Pakistani Army is boomeranging on it. There are many layers in the relationship between Taliban and Pakistan Army. If there is sweetness, there is also sourness. If there is friendship, there is also enmity.
Therefore, Taliban and Pakistan The relationship can be understood in 3 chapters. In the first chapter there is a comparison of the armies of both the countries. What weapons does Afghanistan have and at what level can it fight Pakistan? The second chapter is on the old game of Pakistan. How he created an army of radicals in Pakistani madrassas in the name of Jihad and prepared the Taliban. And the third chapter is on the war game of Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Who are not shying away from playing bloody games to strengthen their position.
First Chapter: Who has how much power…
Pakistan’s army is counted among the top 15 in the world. Pakistan is at number 14 in the ranking of Global Fire Power 2026. He has about 6 lakh 60 thousand active soldiers. There are hundreds of airplanes. Tanks and cannons are also in abundance. There are also nuclear weapons. About 170 warheads. The budget is also big. Pakistan’s army is equipped with modern weapons. Fighter planes like F-16, helicopters and missiles are everything.
On the other hand, the condition of Taliban army of Afghanistan is different. He has about 1 lakh 72 thousand active fighters. There is a plan to increase it to Rs 2 lakh. But the condition of weapons is bad. No fighter jet. Not even a mention of air power. There are only six old planes and 23 helicopters. Mostly Soviet era. Many cannot even fly. No provision for maintenance. Depend on weapons left by America. When America left in 2021, weapons worth $7 billion fell into the hands of Taliban. M16 rifles, Humvee vehicles, night vision goggles, a few tanks and APCs. There are also Soviet era T-55 and T-62 tanks. About a hundred T-55 and only a hundred T-62. But it is not certain how useful they are.
Taliban cannot directly compete with Pakistan with these weapons. Pakistan’s Air Force can single-handedly destroy Afghanistan. Pakistan has 465 combat aircraft. Taliban does not have any air defense system that can stop these attacks. That’s why Taliban does not fight conventional war. He is an expert in guerrilla warfare.
Why is Pak Army trembling?
There are forests, valleys and rough roads on the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Durand Line. It is difficult for Pakistani Army to survive here. Taliban fighters are local. He knows every street, every hill. They hit and run. Let’s plant IED. They attack suddenly and run away. When Pakistan Army conducts operations, Taliban retreats. Then attacks from behind.
Taliban is not allowing the Pakistani Army to survive in areas like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. TTP i.e. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is also active here. The Pakistani Army is not worried about the bombings from Afghanistan. Their blood is running dry due to the fear of suicide attack. Roadside bomb blast. Many Pakistani soldiers are dying every day. The army has to remain alert on every front. Pakistan’s army is getting tired due to this. Resources are being wasted.
Pashtun and TTP support become weapons of Taliban
Taliban gets good support in the Pashtun areas located on the Pak-Afghan border. There are Pashtuns on both sides. Same kinship, language and culture. Many Pashtuns are angry with Pakistan’s past military actions. When Pakistan conducted operations like Zarb-e-Azb ten years ago, the houses of common people were destroyed. And the local people leaned towards Taliban or TTP. They consider Taliban as brothers. Give food. Provide a place to hide. Provide intelligence. This support makes Taliban stronger.
TTP has become the biggest helper for Taliban. TTP has 30 to 35 thousand fighters. They are united in ideology with the Afghan Taliban. Afghan Taliban gives shelter to TTP in Afghanistan. Gives them training. Gives weapons. It has even been said that a large number of weapons that America had left in Afghanistan were either given to TTP or sold. In return TTP carries out attacks inside Pakistan. Due to this, Pakistani Army has to fight on two fronts. One from Taliban on the border, the other from TTP inside. TTP increased attacks by 90 percent in 2025. Because of TTP, Pakistan’s army remains busy, and Taliban gets a chance to breathe.
Overall, Pakistan is far ahead in conventional warfare. But Taliban can suck the blood of Pakistan in a long guerrilla war. The support of the mountains, local support and TTP is in favor of Taliban. This is the reason why Pakistan is now carrying out open attacks. But this game is dangerous.
Chapter Two: Jihad which is now boomeranging
Pakistan Army is considered expert in raising troops of Jihadis. In the 70s, General Zia ul Haq gave Islamic color to the country. When Soviet Russia occupied Afghanistan in 1979, Pakistan saw the opportunity. He raised an army of Mujahideen. These Jihadi fighters were trained by ISI i.e. Pakistan’s intelligence agency with money and weapons from America and Saudi Arabia. Then he was sent to Afghanistan. A war was fought against Russia. Russia lost in 1989.
But Pakistan’s game did not end here. After Russia’s departure, civil war started in Afghanistan. Different groups started fighting among themselves. Pakistan again prepared a new army. Taliban was born in 1994. ISI brought it up. Collected boys from madrassas. Gave them training. Gave weapons. The objective was to form a government friendly to Pakistan in Afghanistan. The thinking was that this would give Pakistan a strategic depth against India. In 1996, Taliban captured Kabul. Pakistan immediately recognized.
After 9/11, America attacked Afghanistan. Taliban went underground. Pakistan told the world that it is America’s ally. But continued helping the Taliban from inside. Quetta became the headquarters of Taliban. ISI gave shelter. Run training camps. Deliver weapons. Strengthened Taliban in the fight against America. The objective was to weaken America and bring Taliban government back in Afghanistan.
This game continued for 20 years. Went to America in 2021. Taliban is back. Pakistan was happy. Thought now friend is the government. On one side, Taliban was in power, the section of which was getting the ISI Chief photographed with a cup of tea in a Kabul hotel. As if he is saying that now the remote control here is in his hands. This over-confidence proved costly for Pakistan. Taliban refused to accept Pakistan’s instructions. Durand Line was not accepted. Gave shelter to TTP. Now the same Taliban is carrying out attacks on Pakistan. TTP has spread terror inside Pakistan.
This old game of Pakistan has now turned against it. The army he had created turned out to be a boomerang on him. Defense expert Christine Fair had said that Pakistan always used jihadis but could not control them. The same thing is happening today.
Chapter Three: Munir’s ‘favorite’ war game
Pak Army Chief on the pretext of four-day war with India in May 2025 Asim Munir First strengthened his chair. Pakistan claimed victory and Munir was made Field Marshal. Then also the Chief of Defense Force. Now attacking Afghanistan.
DG ISPR comes to the press every day. It is said that the army is fighting with India on the eastern border and Afghanistan on the western. Saving Pakistan. Munir said that the Afghan Taliban will have to choose between TTP and Pakistan. 70 percent of TTP infiltrators are Afghans.
But the real game is inside. The army is proving that Imran Khan and his supporters are also a threat. DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary said in December 2025 that Khan’s narrative has become a national security threat. Described Khan as mentally unstable. The army is saying that if we are not there then the existence of Pakistan will be in danger.
Defense expert Ayesha Siddiqa She says that ‘Munir has taken complete control in his hands’. People from crisis groups like International Observer say that ‘Munir is raising the slogan of war outside to divert attention from domestic problems. The economy is bad. Imran supporters are protesting. The rebellion of Baloch citizens continues. The army is beating the drum of fighting on both the international borders so that people think that only the army can save the country.
Overall, Munir has strengthened his hold on the name of India and Afghanistan. But this game is dangerous. The army he built is now turning upside down. The fighting will increase on the Durand Line. TTP will continue attacks. Common Pakistanis will die. History is witness to the fact that this old game of Pakistan always backfires. But it is also a reality that this also gives the Pakistani Army a reason to maintain its existence.
Now the big question is how will Pakistan be saved from the boomerang of Taliban. While trying to control the Taliban, he himself is getting surrounded. Pakistan itself got trapped in the game which it started. Now open war has been declared. Time will tell what happens next. But one thing is clear. An old friend has now become an enemy.
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