Tensions on the Edge: What’s Happening Between Pakistan and Afghanistan

13 November 2025

Paul Francis

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The relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has always been uneasy, but in recent weeks it has taken a serious turn. Cross-border clashes, air strikes, failed peace talks and growing accusations have pushed both nations into one of their most dangerous stand-offs in years. For many observers, the dispute has become a test of whether the region can avoid another long and destabilising conflict.

Helicopter flying over a sandy desert with rocky mountains in the background. Clear blue sky, conveying a sense of adventure and isolation.

A Fragile Border and a Growing Crisis

The Pakistan–Afghanistan border stretches for more than 1,600 miles across harsh mountains and remote valleys. It is one of the most difficult borders in the world to control. Communities on both sides share cultural and ethnic ties, yet it is also an area long associated with insurgency, smuggling and shifting alliances.

Tensions rose sharply in October 2025 after Pakistan accused militants based in Afghanistan of launching deadly attacks on its territory. The main group blamed was the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an organisation ideologically aligned with the Afghan Taliban. Islamabad claims that the TTP uses Afghan soil as a safe haven to regroup and plan strikes. The Afghan government, run by the Taliban since 2021, has repeatedly denied this, insisting it does not allow any group to attack a neighbouring country.

In response to a series of cross-border raids, Pakistan carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan, reportedly targeting militant positions near Kabul and across border provinces such as Khost and Paktika. Afghanistan retaliated with its own artillery fire along the frontier, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Diplomatic Frustration and Failed Talks

The violence sparked international concern, prompting Qatar and Turkey to step in as mediators. Both countries helped broker a temporary ceasefire in mid-October, but the calm was short-lived. Within weeks, the agreement had collapsed, with each side accusing the other of breaking the terms.

Talks held in Istanbul were meant to restore dialogue, yet they ended in stalemate. Pakistan demanded firm guarantees that militants operating from Afghanistan would be disarmed or expelled. Afghanistan, in turn, accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty with repeated air operations. Efforts by Iran to offer mediation have also yet to produce results.

This latest breakdown highlights a deeper mistrust between the two governments. Pakistan once saw the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan as a strategic opportunity to ensure a friendly regime on its western border. Instead, the relationship has soured, with Islamabad viewing the Taliban’s inability to rein in the TTP as a major threat to its internal security.

Why the Situation Matters

The border conflict is more than a local issue; it has major implications for the entire region. Pakistan’s western frontier has long been volatile, and instability there risks spilling into its own border provinces such as Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If the violence continues, Pakistan may face a surge of displaced civilians and renewed domestic attacks from TTP factions.

Camouflage uniform with Pakistan flag patch, "Special Services Wing" badge, and pencil in pocket. Hand holding a paper, suggesting readiness.

For Afghanistan, the fighting threatens what remains of its already fragile economy. Cross-border trade routes with Pakistan are crucial lifelines for goods, fuel and humanitarian supplies. When the border closes or becomes unsafe, Afghan markets suffer shortages and price spikes, deepening the country’s ongoing economic crisis.

Neighbouring countries are also on alert. Iran, which shares a long border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan, has offered to mediate out of concern that the fighting could spread or disrupt trade routes. Further north, Central Asian nations such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are worried about militant movements and refugee flows across their southern borders.

Even China is watching closely. It has invested heavily in Pakistan’s infrastructure through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship element of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Escalating violence could undermine those projects and threaten Chinese personnel working in the region.

The Broader Picture: Security and Trust

Flags of Afghanistan and Pakistan on a detailed map with mountains, highlighted by warm sunlight, creating a diplomatic tone.

At the heart of the crisis is a question of control. Pakistan believes that the Afghan Taliban can restrain militant groups operating from within its borders, but evidence so far suggests that the Taliban either cannot or will not take decisive action. Some analysts argue that the Afghan leadership faces internal divisions, with hardline elements unwilling to confront groups that once fought alongside them.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military leadership faces pressure at home to show strength. Repeated attacks by the TTP have killed hundreds of Pakistani soldiers and civilians over the past two years. Failure to respond decisively could be seen as weakness by a population already frustrated with economic hardship and political instability.

Both sides, then, are trapped in a cycle of accusation and retaliation, where every incident deepens mistrust.

Possible Futures

If diplomacy fails, further escalation remains a real risk. More air strikes or cross-border raids could ignite a wider conflict that neither country can afford. However, there are also reasons for cautious optimism. Regional powers, including Turkey, Qatar and Iran, have a vested interest in avoiding another prolonged war. Their mediation efforts, while limited so far, may keep communication channels open.

Trade could also serve as a bridge rather than a barrier. Pakistan and Afghanistan have both expressed interest in expanding economic cooperation through transit agreements and energy links. If stability can be restored, these could offer incentives for restraint.

The real test will be whether both governments can separate militant issues from broader political disputes. Without that, the ceasefire agreements will remain temporary, and the border will continue to be a flashpoint for years to come.

Impact Beyond the Border

The outcome of this conflict could shape regional security for the foreseeable future. A stable Afghanistan benefits not only Pakistan but also Central Asia and even Europe, which has faced migration pressures after every major Afghan crisis. Conversely, a breakdown in relations could fuel extremism, disrupt trade routes and draw in larger powers seeking influence.

For now, the international community is urging restraint. The question is whether Pakistan and Afghanistan can find common ground before local skirmishes evolve into something much larger.

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Old Marketers

Diane Hall
Feb 2, 2023
3 min read

According to the ONS, three-quarters of the people employed in the marketing industry are under 45. Typically a sector at the forefront of new ideas, products and technologies, it’s perhaps not surprising that young people are attracted to working in the field. The technology element is particularly important…the majority of this age group has grown up with computers, smartphones and other technologies, and it’s little wonder that they know every aspect and function of devices the humble microchip supports.

As someone in the remaining 25%, given that I’m pushing 50 years of age, I may be a little slower (only a little, mind) when it comes to mastering the most popular technological advances and sought-after software. I emphasise that word: necessary. That word can be interpreted differently, depending on the user. For instance, at my age, I can effortlessly get through my day without posting image after image on Instagram, and I’m definitely not someone excited by Snapchat streaks nor the filters the platform constantly churns out. I am a TikTok fan, which makes me feel down with the kids, and I’m of the right age to be a Facebook user—another social media platform to which I dedicate some of my downtime. In this regard, I probably embody the average person my age, whether they work in the marketing industry or not.

I don’t mind that I’m the oldest one in the marketing agency I work for by a generation (well, most of the time I don’t). I enjoy bantz with the team and having young adult offspring means I can join in most conversations about trends and celebrity shenanigans.

My thoughts on the ONS statistics are that they represent a missed trick. Only a portion of products and services marketing teams of the UK advertise is for consumption by consumers aged 20-45.

Yes, young marketers are proficient at knowing all about new stuff, but only us oldies know about times gone by, and this can be relevant from time to time.

Not to mention the wisdom we bring, after years of being in the workplace. The experience from working in different roles and sectors, and enjoying a network that’s much bigger and more solid than someone who only graduated a few years ago. We know of things that worked first time round. Nostalgia can be lucrative, and the best ideas never go out of fashion.

I don’t think this imbalance is solely down to narrow-minded employers within the industry. Some of it, I think, is that the sector doesn’t appeal to people coming back to work after early retirement or those who are looking to retrain in their fifties and sixties. The assumption that older people wouldn’t be able to keep up with the fast-paced life of a marketing agency exists—from those working in it AND from jobseekers over 45 considering a career change.

Other sectors welcome older employees—such as within our judicial system, in government /the Lords, in finance and economics, and as top-tier university lecturers. Younger people in the same roles wouldn’t have the same credibility. It could be that marketing represents the opposite—that older people in the marketing sector may be seen as less credible, outdated, slower and uninformed.

I’ve always enjoyed being an ideas person, which, to me, is unrelated to my age. Following years of child-rearing and putting someone else’s needs before my own, it’s also easier for me to look at something from alternative points of view, rather than from where I sit in the universe. Having been on this earth for double the time of my colleagues, I have seen lots of scenarios play out. I’ve something to say on most subjects. These are assets to a marketing company, aren’t they?

Statistics show that a proportion of retirees are returning to the workplace, due to heightened living costs and diminishing pension values. Some of these could have been expert marketers in their day, or people who have successfully run their own brand; would they be overlooked by employers due to their age?

Age discrimination is easy to prove when you’re in a workplace, but it’s not such a doddle to demonstrate if it pops up during the hiring process—you may feel that your age worked against you, but how can you be sure? It’s not like the potential employer will tell you.

Young marketers are fantastic at what they do. But so are those twice (or three times) their age.