Pakistan reportedly carried out cross-border strikes against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an extremist group designated as terrorists by Islamabad, over the weekend. This banned group has received shelter in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, from where it’s begun launching a spate of terrorist attacks against the Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF). The most recent one was late last week and ended up martyring seven soldiers. That’s supposedly what prompted the PAF to decisively strike back against those terrorists, which also resulted in Islamabad warning their Taliban partners against letting the TTP operate with impunity from Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistan.

Last weekend’s retaliatory strike should hopefully compel the Taliban to dislodge these terrorists. This de facto national liberation movement is still under UNSC sanctions for its connection to terrorism and is struggling to win formal legitimacy after it swept back to power in Afghanistan during the US’ chaotic evacuation from that war-torn country last August. Washington froze all of that state’s assets within its jurisdiction, which in turn exacerbated its ever-worsening humanitarian crisis that could result in profound regional instability if it isn’t resolved as soon as possible. Even worse, Afghanistan seems to be once again becoming a terrorist haven after the TTP found refuge there to plot attacks against Pakistan.

This is a pressing national security concern for that “Major Non-NATO Ally”, which is presently in the midst of its worst political crisis in years following the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan under very scandalous circumstances and the massive nationwide rallies that have been staged in his support since then. Nevertheless, in spite of these domestic political developments, Pakistan’s military-intelligence structures –known in that country’s parlance as The Establishment—remain committed to their sacred duty of ensuring their country’s security against domestic and international threats as proven by the PAF’s reported cross-border anti-terrorist strikes against the TTP.

It’s crucial for Pakistanis and foreign observers alike never to lose sight of the fact that this country’s armed forces are responsible for its continued existence throughout the decades. Without its world-class military-intelligence structures, Pakistan probably would have ceased to exist by now. The relevance of this fact to the present context is that they’re actively ensuring the country’s security from Afghan-emanating terrorist threats that could worsen its internal instability if these forces aren’t thwarted. Accordingly, these structures should always be held in the highest of respect by all no matter what some might speculate about their upper echelon’s role in the recent change of government.

Whatever one might wonder about the new coalition authorities’ foreign policy, and a lot remains to be clarified such as their envisioned policy towards Russia after former Prime Minister Khan claimed that the close ties that he cultivated with that country were one of the reasons why the US allegedly wanted to oust him, there’s no doubt that The Establishment hasn’t wavered one bit in ensuring Pakistan’s objectively existing national security interests. This should serve as a relief for those who were worried about whether speculative US influence over the new coalition authorities might immediately endanger their country. No matter what, The Establishment will never become soft on terrorism.

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