Pakistan’s Cross-Border Strikes and the Evolving Counterterror Doctrine
![Afghan men search for victims after a Pakistani air strike hit a residential area in the Girdi Kas village, Nangarhar province on February 22, 2026. [Aimal Zahir/AFP/Getty Images]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/gettyimages-2262391441.webp)
An analysis of Pakistan’s cross-border action, security rationale, and regional implications amid rising militant threats.
Balochistan’s Security Challenges, Criminal Networks, and Ground Realities
Balochistan’s security challenge is not rooted in deprivation alone but in a long-entrenched nexus of militant outfits, criminal mafias, and foreign-sponsored narrative manipulation. The failure of “Operation Herof II” underscores the disconnect between militant propaganda and ground realities.
Narrative, Priorities, and the Politics of Selective Outrage

The discourse surrounding Tirah Valley highlights a widening gap between political narrative and humanitarian reality. While propaganda targets security forces, political action reveals where priorities truly lie.
Militancy, Borderization, and the Politics of a Frontier

The Durand Line’s transformation from a porous frontier to a fenced border is altering militant strategies, funding, and regional security. Jihadist networks like TTP and IS-K are adapting to these changes while local populations face social and economic pressures.
Afghan Immigrant Woman Convicted In UK For Attempting To Join Daesh
![Afghan woman Farishta Jami convicted of terrorism offences for planning to join Daesh in Afghanistan with her children. [Image via Khaama Press]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Afghan-Immigrant-Woman-Joined-ISIS-880x660-1.webp)
Afghan woman Farishta Jami convicted of terrorism offences for planning to join Daesh in Afghanistan with her children.