Why is violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan recurring?

Video Duration 27 minutes 18 seconds 27: 18. Pakistan has carried out new strikes inside Afghanistan.

Key points

• In 2021, Islamabad hailed the Taliban's return to power in Kabul as a victory.
• Syed Akhtar Ali Shah – Former inspector general of police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
• Pakistan and Afghanistan were once allies, but they have become enemies.
• The plenty of attempts to stop the fighting have failed.

Video Duration 27 minutes 18 seconds 27: 18. Pakistan has carried out new strikes inside Afghanistan. Pakistan and Afghanistan were once allies, but they have become enemies.

In 2021, Islamabad hailed the Taliban's return to power in Kabul as a victory. But relations have deteriorated.

In part, it is due to accusations that the Afghan administration is harbouring the Pakistan Taliban (or TTP) and other armed groups that have maintained responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has denied sheltering or backing those fighters.

Notably, the plenty of attempts to stop the fighting have failed. So, what will be the fallout of this cycle of violence?

Syed Akhtar Ali Shah – Former inspector general of police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Faiz Zaland – Professor of political science at Kabul University. Michael Semple – Former EU representative in Afghanistan. Published On 26 Sep 202626 Sep 2026.

In short, why is violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan recurring? Is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.