Pakistan’s forever war and the politics of exhaustion

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 2 min read 100% complete by Jawad KhalidMarch 4, 2026 at 03:30 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Recent clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan highlight the ongoing instability in the region following decades of conflict. Since 2001, Pakistan has been embroiled in the "war on terror," resulting in significant casualties and displacement. The article points to Pakistan's past support of the Afghan Taliban and its subsequent alliance with the US after 9/11, creating a distinction between "good" and "bad" Taliban factions. This ambiguity fostered the growth of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), leading to widespread violence within Pakistan. Despite initially welcoming the Afghan Taliban's return to power in 2021, relations have soured, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harboring the TTP, while Afghanistan denies the charges and accuses Pakistan of internal failures.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Islamabad 40% North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 40% Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 50% Kabul 50% United States 60% War on Terror ×270% Taliban ×375% Afghanistan ×480% Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ×485% Pakistan ×890%

Keywords

pakistan 100% afghanistan 90% war on terror 80% border clashes 70% ttp 70% terrorism 60% militant groups 50% political instability 50% internal displacement 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Pakistan

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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pakistan afghanistan war on terror border clashes ttp terrorism militant groups political instability internal displacement

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