Pakistan and Afghanistan were once allies, but relations have deteriorated amid recurring confrontations. Islamabad hailed the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021 as a victory; ties between the countries later worsened sharply.
A central source of tension is Pakistan’s accusation that Afghan authorities shelter the Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, and other armed groups that have claimed responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies giving those groups refuge or support.
Previous attempts to halt the fighting have failed. Al Jazeera’s Inside Story discusses the possible consequences of this cycle of violence and why efforts to end the clashes have not succeeded. It is an analytical discussion, not a report of a new specific attack.
Presenter Adrian Finighan is joined by Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, former inspector general of police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Faiz Zaland, a political science professor at Kabul University; and Michael Semple, a former EU representative in Afghanistan.