Pakistan sees things differently. Representatives of civil society close to the government do not believe Pakistan entered this fight in order to facilitate American grip over Afghanistan. Journalists in Peshawar, familiar with government thinking, told Prothom Alo that given the direction of events, Pakistan had no choice but to counter-attack.

Thousands – including civilians and the security personnel – have been killed in Pakistan in the last years and Pakistan accused Taliban of Afghanistan for allowing the Pakistan-based Taliban – Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – to provide a rear to launch attacks in the bordering areas inside Pakistan. The New York Times claimed in a February 26 article that Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Arif claimed on social media “our cup of patience has overflowed” and it now is an “open war between us and you.” However, the purported tweet is not available anymore.

Claiming that the Afghan Taliban is encouraging attacks, a journalist noted a "secret understanding" between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban (TTA) is an open secret in Pakistan’s north western bordering areas. “Under this understanding, the TTP supported the Afghan Taliban in their past war against US and Afghan government forces. In return, the now-governing Afghan Taliban would help the TTP establish an Islamic system in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s border districts.”

The argument had had its resonance on the Afghan side as well as a former officer of the Kabul Foreign Ministry underscored a complex reality. He noted, despite the detention of nearly 6,000 TTP fighters by the Afghan government, fully controlling the Mujhahideens is nearly impossible due to their religious ideological inspiration.

"They (TTP) want a Sharia-based state, which they have found in Afghanistan. Now they want the same in Pakistan. While the Afghan Taliban may desire a Sharia-based state, they do not always support the TTP''s specific fight in Pakistan. Yet, they are not in a position to control them either."