Pakistan striking Afghanistan to escape Makkah defence pact? Taliban makes big claim — what’s behind it

Taliban has accused Pakistan of striking Afghanistan to avoid commitments under the Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey Makkah defence pact. Pakistan says its strikes targeted military objectives after alleged Afghan aggression, while Kabul says civilians were killed.

The Taliban has claimed that Pakistan is striking Afghanistan to avoid its commitments under a recently signed defence agreement, the Makkah defence pact, as Saudi Arabia faces heightened security risks following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid alleged that Pakistan was deliberately portraying the situation as a conflict with Afghanistan to sidestep its obligations under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, CNN-News18 reported.

“Pakistan’s recent attacks on Afghanistan were carried out with the aim of escaping the Makkah agreement with Saudi Arabia, while portraying the situation as though Pakistan is engaged in a war in Afghanistan,” Mujahid said, according to CNN-News18.

Why is Pakistan striking Afghanistan?

Pakistan has said it carried out strikes against identified military targets in Afghanistan, while Kabul has accused Islamabad of targeting Afghan territory and civilians.

Pakistan claimed it had foiled an “attempted Afghan aggression” along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, according to Reuters.

Pakistani security sources said several Taliban members were killed in an exchange of fire in the Gulistan area of the border on Friday, with fighting continuing.

The escalation follows a period of relative calm between the two sides. Tensions have resurfaced after a recent militant attack on a police facility in northwestern Pakistan that killed at least 24 people.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government, meanwhile, said Pakistani air strikes killed four civilians.

How does the Makkah defence pact fit in?

Mujahid’s allegation comes against the backdrop of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey in Mecca on August 7.

Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be regarded as an attack against all three.

The language of the pact has drawn comparisons with NATO’s Article 5, under which an armed attack against one member is treated as an attack against the alliance.

The conflict along the Durand line comes as Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement have escalated attacks upon each other, ending a period of relative calm following the 2022 UN-brokered ceasefire.

Earlier, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had suggested that the defence pact could become operational if Saudi Arabia faced “unprovoked aggression” or if the Yemen conflict spilt over into Saudi territory, according to Geo News.

In a flip-flop, Islamabad later sought to narrow expectations.

On September 10, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said there was no military response under discussion in connection with the Houthi attacks.

What is Pakistan's TTP problem?

Pakistan’s confrontation with the Taliban government is rooted in its long-running allegations that militants operating from Afghanistan are responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of providing space to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups. The Taliban government denies the allegations and maintains that militancy inside Pakistan is an internal issue.

TTP's emergence was closely linked to the fallout from the US-led war in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s military operations in its tribal regions, as per the Council on Foreign Relations.

About the Author

Bhanu Pratap is a journalist who reports and writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics and strategic affairs. He closely follows diplomatic developments in New Delhi and has a keen interest in defence and national security.<br> <br> Bhanu also focuses on in-depth, interview-based reports and regularly speaking with experts and policymakers to bring perspectives and context to major developments around the world.<br> <br> He is also interested in stories with strong humanitarian angles.<br><br> One such report examined the cases of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited and forced into Russia’s war against Ukraine. While reporting the story, Bhanu spoke to the families of those affected and documented their experiences. The report was later taken into account by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine.<br> <br> For Bhanu, the zeal to produce meaningful and impactful journalism remains at the heart of his work.<br> <br>He has previously worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry and Republic.<br><br> Bhanu studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. He initially chose science with plans to pursue engineering, influenced by conventional expectations, but fate had other plans and eventually led him to journalism.<br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Bhanu enjoys exploring culture and history and often spends his days off on heritage walks. He is also passionate about travelling, biking and listening to folk music.<br> <br>For tips, reviews and suggestions, you can reach him at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.

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