On August 27, reports emerged of strikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Nangarhar provinces. Almost immediately, Afghan officials and their aligned media began accusing Pakistan of carrying out the attack, alleging civilian casualties. This pattern is not new. Whenever an incident takes place on Afghan soil, the de facto authorities in Kabul are quick to turn the spotlight on Pakistan, without evidence, while conveniently ignoring the reality that Afghanistan remains a safe haven for groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda, and ISKP.
The Khost incident is telling. Local reports suggest that an Afghan government official was hosting a jirga between Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant commander with a long record of attacks on Pakistan, and TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud on the very same night. In other words, the Afghan state is not simply turning a blind eye; it is facilitating interactions between factions plotting against Pakistan. Yet when violence erupts between these groups, the instinct in Kabul is to point fingers across the border. This propaganda shields militant actors and deflects from the Afghan Interim Government’s (IAG) inability, or unwillingness to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries.
A Pattern of Deflection
This is not an isolated case. On August 8, Pakistan’s security forces conducted a counter-terror operation in Sambaza area of Zhob district, killing 61 infiltrating terrorists. Crucially, 53 of them were identified as Afghan nationals. For Pakistanis, this was not shocking news. Over the past two years, multiple operations inside Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have uncovered Afghan nationals fighting alongside TTP cells. Time and again, Islamabad has documented evidence that Afghanistan is exporting militancy. Yet instead of cracking down, Kabul reaches for its loudest weapon: propaganda.
The propaganda strategy operates in two steps. First, every clash, strike, or explosion inside Afghanistan is attributed to Pakistan without evidence. Second, when Pakistan neutralizes terrorists within its territory and proves Afghan involvement, Kabul claims innocence and plays the victim. The result is a damaging cycle where the perpetrators are shielded, and the real victims, ordinary Pakistanis, are erased from the narrative.
Terrorism’s Human Cost
Numbers alone cannot capture the devastation. Every week brings fresh stories of Pakistani families ripped apart by cross-border terrorism. In August alone, dozens of soldiers and civilians have been killed in militant attacks traced back to Afghan sanctuaries. The Sambaza operation itself was launched because infiltration attempts had already claimed lives in Zhob. For local communities, the statistics translate into funerals, shuttered markets, and schools too unsafe for children to attend.
This human cost is precisely why Pakistan continues to stress dialogue and cooperation. During his recent visit to Kabul, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Afghan leadership to take concrete steps against the TTP. His message was simple: peace in the region is only possible if Afghan soil is not used as a launchpad for terrorism. Yet, instead of acting, Kabul responded with fresh accusations after the Khost incident, undermining the very spirit of regional cooperation.
The Global Picture
The problem is not Pakistan’s word against Afghanistan’s. Independent assessments, including multiple United Nations Security Council reports, confirm that Afghanistan remains a hub for terrorist groups. The most recent UN monitoring reports have repeatedly warned of the TTP’s safe haven in Afghanistan, its growing operational capacity, and its direct threat to Pakistan. Similarly, Al-Qaeda and ISKP continue to find fertile ground under the Afghan Interim Government’s watch.
This is not just a Pakistani concern. A destabilized Afghanistan exporting terrorism risks destabilizing the entire region, from Central Asia to the Gulf. Yet, by weaponizing propaganda against Pakistan, Kabul not only avoids responsibility but also undermines the international community’s ability to address the threat collectively.
Why Propaganda Matters
Propaganda is not harmless rhetoric, it has real consequences. By projecting Pakistan as the aggressor, Kabul hopes to distract Afghans from their own leadership’s failures. It also attempts to erode Pakistan’s credibility internationally, framing Islamabad as a perpetual scapegoat. But the larger damage is regional. When propaganda replaces accountability, terrorists gain more time and space to plan their next attack.
Pakistan’s restraint in the face of repeated provocations has been remarkable. Instead of retaliating impulsively, Islamabad has relied on evidence, intelligence-sharing, and diplomatic outreach. But this patience should not be mistaken for weakness. If Afghanistan continues to shield the TTP and deflect with propaganda, it risks being globally isolated as the epicenter of terrorism.
The Urgency of Holding Kabul Accountable
The international community must recognize this pattern. Organizations such as the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International should not remain silent when Afghanistan harbors militants who kill Pakistanis. Equally, global powers must hold the IAG accountable for weaponizing propaganda while failing to curb terrorism.
For Pakistanis, the stakes are painfully real. Every time propaganda is used to cover Afghan soil’s role in terrorism, another Pakistani family lives in fear of losing a loved one. Afghanistan’s leadership may seek short-term relief by shifting blame, but in the long run, this strategy only strengthens the terrorists both countries should be fighting together.
Until Kabul abandons its propaganda playbook and takes decisive action against groups like the TTP, the cycle of violence will persist. And as history has shown, the human cost will not be confined to one side of the border.
Afghan Propaganda Targets Pakistan Amidst Escalating Terror Nexus
On August 27, reports emerged of strikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Nangarhar provinces. Almost immediately, Afghan officials and their aligned media began accusing Pakistan of carrying out the attack, alleging civilian casualties. This pattern is not new. Whenever an incident takes place on Afghan soil, the de facto authorities in Kabul are quick to turn the spotlight on Pakistan, without evidence, while conveniently ignoring the reality that Afghanistan remains a safe haven for groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaeda, and ISKP.
The Khost incident is telling. Local reports suggest that an Afghan government official was hosting a jirga between Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a militant commander with a long record of attacks on Pakistan, and TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud on the very same night. In other words, the Afghan state is not simply turning a blind eye; it is facilitating interactions between factions plotting against Pakistan. Yet when violence erupts between these groups, the instinct in Kabul is to point fingers across the border. This propaganda shields militant actors and deflects from the Afghan Interim Government’s (IAG) inability, or unwillingness to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries.
A Pattern of Deflection
This is not an isolated case. On August 8, Pakistan’s security forces conducted a counter-terror operation in Sambaza area of Zhob district, killing 61 infiltrating terrorists. Crucially, 53 of them were identified as Afghan nationals. For Pakistanis, this was not shocking news. Over the past two years, multiple operations inside Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have uncovered Afghan nationals fighting alongside TTP cells. Time and again, Islamabad has documented evidence that Afghanistan is exporting militancy. Yet instead of cracking down, Kabul reaches for its loudest weapon: propaganda.
The propaganda strategy operates in two steps. First, every clash, strike, or explosion inside Afghanistan is attributed to Pakistan without evidence. Second, when Pakistan neutralizes terrorists within its territory and proves Afghan involvement, Kabul claims innocence and plays the victim. The result is a damaging cycle where the perpetrators are shielded, and the real victims, ordinary Pakistanis, are erased from the narrative.
Terrorism’s Human Cost
Numbers alone cannot capture the devastation. Every week brings fresh stories of Pakistani families ripped apart by cross-border terrorism. In August alone, dozens of soldiers and civilians have been killed in militant attacks traced back to Afghan sanctuaries. The Sambaza operation itself was launched because infiltration attempts had already claimed lives in Zhob. For local communities, the statistics translate into funerals, shuttered markets, and schools too unsafe for children to attend.
This human cost is precisely why Pakistan continues to stress dialogue and cooperation. During his recent visit to Kabul, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Afghan leadership to take concrete steps against the TTP. His message was simple: peace in the region is only possible if Afghan soil is not used as a launchpad for terrorism. Yet, instead of acting, Kabul responded with fresh accusations after the Khost incident, undermining the very spirit of regional cooperation.
The Global Picture
The problem is not Pakistan’s word against Afghanistan’s. Independent assessments, including multiple United Nations Security Council reports, confirm that Afghanistan remains a hub for terrorist groups. The most recent UN monitoring reports have repeatedly warned of the TTP’s safe haven in Afghanistan, its growing operational capacity, and its direct threat to Pakistan. Similarly, Al-Qaeda and ISKP continue to find fertile ground under the Afghan Interim Government’s watch.
This is not just a Pakistani concern. A destabilized Afghanistan exporting terrorism risks destabilizing the entire region, from Central Asia to the Gulf. Yet, by weaponizing propaganda against Pakistan, Kabul not only avoids responsibility but also undermines the international community’s ability to address the threat collectively.
Why Propaganda Matters
Propaganda is not harmless rhetoric, it has real consequences. By projecting Pakistan as the aggressor, Kabul hopes to distract Afghans from their own leadership’s failures. It also attempts to erode Pakistan’s credibility internationally, framing Islamabad as a perpetual scapegoat. But the larger damage is regional. When propaganda replaces accountability, terrorists gain more time and space to plan their next attack.
Pakistan’s restraint in the face of repeated provocations has been remarkable. Instead of retaliating impulsively, Islamabad has relied on evidence, intelligence-sharing, and diplomatic outreach. But this patience should not be mistaken for weakness. If Afghanistan continues to shield the TTP and deflect with propaganda, it risks being globally isolated as the epicenter of terrorism.
The Urgency of Holding Kabul Accountable
The international community must recognize this pattern. Organizations such as the UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International should not remain silent when Afghanistan harbors militants who kill Pakistanis. Equally, global powers must hold the IAG accountable for weaponizing propaganda while failing to curb terrorism.
For Pakistanis, the stakes are painfully real. Every time propaganda is used to cover Afghan soil’s role in terrorism, another Pakistani family lives in fear of losing a loved one. Afghanistan’s leadership may seek short-term relief by shifting blame, but in the long run, this strategy only strengthens the terrorists both countries should be fighting together.
Until Kabul abandons its propaganda playbook and takes decisive action against groups like the TTP, the cycle of violence will persist. And as history has shown, the human cost will not be confined to one side of the border.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
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