Afghan Taliban decapitation not off the table for Pakistan

Official says operation will be taken to its logical end; dismisses regional spillover

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan will not hesitate to target top leadership of the Afghan Taliban, including reclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, if credible intelligence becomes available, a senior security source disclosed on Monday, as Islamabad presses ahead with an expanded military campaign across the border.

In a background briefing, a security source did not rule out the possibility of taking out Taliban leaders while responding to a question on whether Pakistan's ongoing operations would also extend to the Taliban's political and military leadership.

"If there is actionable intelligence, no target will be off the table," the source said. "This includes the top leadership."

Pakistan is currently undertaking what officials describe as a relentless and calibrated campaign, both through ground offensive and precision air strikes, aimed at degrading infrastructure that facilitates cross-border terrorist attacks.

The focus of the operation remains the Taliban's military bases, ammunition depots and other facilities that support outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other anti-Pakistan groups.

The senior official said the military was not operating under any artificial deadlines. "Pakistan is not in a hurry. This operation will be taken to its logical end," the source stressed, indicating a long-haul strategy rather than a short, symbolic response.

According to the source, the campaign will continue until Kabul makes a "clear and irreversible choice" between the TTP and Pakistan. "The Afghan Taliban cannot ride two boats," the source remarked, terming the Kabul regime a "master proxy" that has allowed anti-Pakistan militants to regroup.

"If they are sincere, they should hand over Noor Wali Mehsud and other Pakistani terrorists taking refuge there," he said, adding that failure to cooperate would invite sustained and intensified strikes. "If they don't cooperate, we will continue to hit them hard."

The source said that Pakistan's operations have already undermined significantly the Taliban's operational capacity. Without divulging specifics, he suggested that the actual number of casualties inflicted during recent strikes was "far higher" than publicly acknowledged.

"The impact is substantial. Their infrastructure has been degraded to an extent that they are feeling the pressure," he said, hinting at deeper operational successes than reflected in official statements.

The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and speculation about broader geopolitical spillovers, particularly in light of the crisis involving Iran. Dismissing concerns that Pakistan could be the next target after Iran, the source said such fears were misplaced. "An unnecessary scare is being created that after Iran, Pakistan will be next. Pakistan is not Iran. Pakistan is Pakistan," he emphasised.

He explained that Islamabad's foreign policy posture fundamentally differed from Tehran's. "Unlike Iran, Pakistan has maintained a balanced foreign policy. We have good relations with all major powers. Our foreign policy is not driven by emotions but by well-calculated strategy. We are not a pariah state. Our worldview is different."

The source brushed aside speculation that the emergence of a hostile government in Iran could create complications for Pakistan.

Drawing a comparison with Pakistan's long-standing rivalry with India, he said Islamabad was accustomed to navigating adversarial relationships. "We have dealt with India for decades. So we should not be worried about hypothetical scenarios," he said.

However, the official acknowledged that the current environment was testing and required unity at home. "In these challenging times, what Pakistan needs most is internal cohesion," the source stressed.