`Do not think of a military attack on us, otherwise...`: Taliban warns Pakistan, cites 1971 Indo-Pak war

New Delhi: Pakistan tasted their own medicine when an Afghan Taliban member shamed them for surrendering to India in the 1971 war that led to the creation of a new nation, Bangladesh from erstwhile East Pakistan.Warning Pakistan against attacking the Taliban, Taliban member Ahmad Yasir tweeted, "Interior Minister of Pakistan! Excellent Sir! Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan are not Turkey to target the Kurds in Syria. This is Afghanistan, the graveyard of proud empires. Do not think of a military attack on us, otherwise, there will be a shameful repetition of the military agreement with India."https://twitter.com/AhmadYasir711/status/1609755114327212037Notably, this was the largest military surrender after the second world war happened when 93,000 soldiers from the Pakistan Army laid down their arms in front of Indian Forces - liberating and giving birth to a new nation Bangladesh.

The 1971 Indo-Pak War started with the Pakistan side, launching pre-emptive strikes on a large number of Indian Air Force (IAF) bases. A swift response to these unprovoked attacks was launched by the Indian Defence Forces on the Western and Eastern Fronts, on land, sea, and air. With the proactive action of the Indian Armed Forces, around 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered in Dhaka and Bangladesh emerged as an independent country. After the fall of Ashraf Ghani`s government in Afghanistan, Pakistan was one of the few countries to applaud the Taliban takeover of the war-ravaged country while hoping to reap benefits from what it regarded as a strategic victory. However, the increased militancy in Pakistan and border clashes with the Taliban that have happened since August last year have indicated otherwise. Pakistan has historically followed a "Strategic Depth Policy" towards Afghanistan, whereby it attempts to control the country as a political pawn and strategic hedge vis-a-vis India.

When the democratic government was ousted in August 2021, the then-Pakistan Intelligence Chief went there in Kabul to celebrate this takeover. The US exit from Afghanistan had bolstered Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) activities with its base in the war-torn country still intact, Pakistan`s counter-terrorism authority in Islamabad told the country`s Senate Standing Committee on Interior earlier this month. The TTP gained considerable ground and increased its footprint and magnitude of activities during the peace talks process, The News International newspaper reported. Last month, the TTP formally withdrew its ceasefire agreement with Pakistan, which was formally declared in June. The withdrawal of the ceasefire agreement on November 28 was followed by a wave of terror attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Since August 2021, incidents of border skirmishes between Pakistan and Taliban-led Afghanistan have increased significantly over Durand Line.

The latest border clash between the two countries in December 2022 had Taliban fighters and Pakistani forces exchanging heavy artillery fire on each other on the Spin-Boldak-Chaman border. Moreover, in a direct challenge to the sovereignty of the Pakistani civilian government and its military establishment, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced its new appointments dividing the outfit into various ministries."Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced its new appointments dividing the outfit into various ministries, Defence, Judiciary, Information, Political affairs, Economic Affairs, Education, a fatwa issuing authority, Intelligence and a department for construction," TTP said in a statement, as quoted by The Khorasan Diary (TKD) publication.TTP is allied with the Taliban, who seized power in neighbouring An Islamabad-based think tank this week said the year 2022 ended with the deadliest month for Pakistan`s security personnel in over a decade, as it pointed to the emergence of TTP as the biggest threat to the country. Afghanistan in August last year.

Meanwhile, The National Security Committee (NSC), under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, decided that no country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists and Pakistan reserves all rights to safeguard its people, reported Geo News. The resolves come during the 40th meeting of the NSC held in Islamabad, according to an official statement issued by the Prime Minister`s House on Monday. On Friday, the NSC vowed to respond firmly to resurgent terrorism in the country and declared militants as "enemies of Pakistan".The forum also reiterated its resolve to have zero tolerance for terrorism in Pakistan and reaffirmed its determination to take on any and all entities that resort to violence. The committee was also apprised of the security situation of the country with a particular focus on recent terrorist incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, reported Geo News.