Pakistan is preparing for a significant escalation in its counter-terror operations, with plans to launch air strikes on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts inside Afghanistan, senior government and military officials confirmed. The move follows a sharp rise in cross-border militant attacks that have claimed the lives of nearly 50 Pakistani soldiers in recent days, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu and Lower Dir regions.
The decision was taken during an apex security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, alongside Army Chief General Asim Munir and other senior civil-military leaders. Pakistan has also sought U.S. support for satellite intelligence on TTP sanctuaries under the counter-terrorism cooperation framework.
Diplomatic channels are being activated in parallel. A senior Pakistani envoy will soon travel to Kabul to deliver a blunt warning to the Afghan Taliban leadership: “Choose between Pakistan and the TTP.” Officials say this represents a breaking point in Islamabad’s patience with the Taliban, who are accused of allowing TTP fighters to operate freely from Afghan soil.
PM Sharif recently declared that Pakistan would “no longer remain silent spectators” as attacks intensify. Security sources have indicated that any strikes could target locations on both sides of the Durand Line, risking direct confrontation with the Afghan Taliban if they retaliate.
Pakistan’s hardline stance underscores a new consensus within its security establishment — that restraint has run its course, and only decisive military action can restore border stability and protect national security.
