Why Are Pakistan and Afghanistan at Odds?

Pakistan’s repeated accusations that the Afghan Taliban shelter armed groups have put security at the centre of tensions between the two neighbours.

Islamabad accuses those groups of planning and carrying out attacks against Pakistan from inside Afghan territory. Its allegations link the threat of violence at home to the activities of militants across the border.

The dispute is therefore about more than the border itself. Pakistan’s accusations place responsibility on the Afghan Taliban for allegedly allowing armed groups to find refuge on Afghan soil.

At the heart of the tensions is the question of whether Afghan territory is being used as a base for attacks on Pakistan. The allegations remain Pakistan’s stated position, rather than independently established findings in the information available.