Margalla News | Special research review
In the 1990s, Pakistan's relations with the Afghan Taliban were often seen as politically close. When the Taliban returned to Kabul in August 2021, some in Pakistan hoped that issues along its western border would become easier to manage. By 2026, however, circumstances had changed. Georgetown University researcher Christine Fair explained this historical contradiction in a long interview published in March 2026.
Fair's research focuses on military and political strategy in South Asia. She discusses Pakistan's past support for the Afghan Taliban but also makes an important distinction: the movement's origins and its subsequent political and military strengthening should not be treated as identical.
In Fair's view, the Afghan Taliban's success created a difficult dilemma for Pakistan. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is a separate organisation, but the two groups have ideological, historical and some personal connections. Pakistan demands that Kabul prevent attacks launched from Afghan territory, whereas Taliban officials reject accusations against them or describe the issue as Pakistan's internal affair.
The TTP has carried out many deadly attacks in Pakistan, affecting civilians, children, soldiers and police personnel. This is a genuine security challenge that cannot be dismissed simply as a consequence of earlier Pakistani foreign policy. At the same time, protecting Afghan civilians and infrastructure remains necessary during action against armed groups.
In her interview, Fair argued that the Afghan Taliban may neither be easily able nor politically willing to remove the TTP from its territory. That is an analytical opinion about Taliban leaders' intentions and capacities, not independently established evidence concerning every local network. Specific activities and decisions still need separate scrutiny.
Worsening relations carry economic consequences. Closures of crossings such as Torkham and Chaman affect transit trade, jobs, essential goods and the travel of border communities. Fair cited Afghanistan's interest in Iran's Chabahar port and other alternative routes. These could reduce Afghanistan's dependence on one corridor, but require investment and sustained diplomatic arrangements.
In considering Fair's forceful criticism, it is worth remembering that many ordinary Pakistanis hosted Afghan refugees for decades and suffered deeply from terrorism. Accountability for state strategy and recognition of society's humanitarian contributions can coexist.
Another difficulty is the lack of independently verifiable information. Following cross-border incidents, both governments make differing claims concerning casualties, military targets and alleged militant presence. Without impartial observation, credible records of civilian harm and mechanisms for monitoring ceasefires, every new incident can provoke more allegations.
Fair's interview raises a larger question: can Pakistan and Afghanistan establish shared security cooperation that permits the exchange of verifiable information about armed groups despite political differences? That would require clear responsibilities, diplomatic channels and a framework for safeguarding civilian rights on both sides.
Airstrikes and border closures may create immediate pressure, but their lasting consequences are not necessarily those intended. Afghan public anger might increase the Taliban's domestic political support, while continued attacks in Pakistan could increase pressure for further use of force. Breaking this cycle would depend on practical diplomacy and transparent security cooperation.
Fair's interview raises difficult questions about Pakistan's regional strategy. Her views, however, should be read alongside historical evidence, statements from Pakistani and Afghan officials and independent research rather than treated as a final verdict.
Sources and acknowledgments: Margalla News thanks Dr Christine Fair and the original publisher for their research and interviews. This is Margalla News's own detailed analysis, not a copied or complete translation of the original work. The expert's attributed opinions are distinguished from independent conclusions.