Pakistan’s targeted strikes in Kabul last month conducted to eliminate senior commanders of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have created a profound psychological impact on the Afghan Taliban leadership, resulting in a significant decline in cross-border terrorist attacks, according to senior security officials.
Officials said the precision operation deep inside Kabul was executed to send an unmistakable message to the authorities in Afghanistan that Pakistan would not restrict counterterrorism measures to its territorial boundaries. “The purpose was to make it clear that Pakistan will hold militant groups accountable wherever they operate,” a senior official said.
He noted that the Kabul strikes produced a “visible element of fear and caution” within the Taliban leadership and their security machinery. The operation, he said, underscored Pakistan’s capability and intent to target high-value militant networks even inside Kabul if compelled to do so.
In the immediate aftermath of the recent suicide attack on Islamabad’s Judicial Complex, Afghan Taliban representatives privately contacted Pakistani officials, urging de-escalation and denying any involvement in the incident. Security officials described this as an “unusual and noteworthy development,” pointing out that Afghan authorities had previously dismissed Pakistan’s concerns or shifted the blame toward TTP.
“Behind-the-scenes requests for calm reflect a new understanding in Kabul that Pakistan has both the reach and the operational readiness to strike inside Afghanistan when its security is threatened,” the official said.
Officials confirmed that since the Kabul operation, Pakistan has observed a tangible reduction in cross-border militant activity. However, they cautioned that the threat has not been eliminated. The decline, they said, is viewed as a direct result of the deterrence created by Pakistan’s demonstrated willingness to target high-value objectives across the border.
“Taliban leaders now understand the cost of allowing terrorist activity against Pakistan. Deterrence is real, but vigilance remains essential,” the official added.
