The British government is scrambling tonight after a brazen Taliban assault on Pakistani border posts sent shockwaves through Whitehall. Sources close to the Foreign Office say officials are now modelling the worst-case scenario: a full-blown crisis on the edge of South Asia.
The attack, which erupted at dawn near the Chaman crossing, saw Taliban fighters in pickup trucks swarm two Pakistani checkpoints. Islamabad claims to have repelled the incursion, but not before several soldiers were killed. The Taliban, emboldened by their victory in Afghanistan, are testing their southern neighbour.
Inside the Foreign Office, alarm bells are ringing. The quiet word is that this is a direct consequence of the botched Western withdrawal. The UK’s intelligence agencies are warning that the Taliban’s ambition does not stop at the Durand Line. They see a destabilised Pakistan as a prize. A nuclear-armed state in turmoil? That keeps spooks awake at night.
Downing Street issued a carefully worded statement this afternoon, calling for ‘restraint’ and ‘dialogue’. But privately, Ministers are furious. One told me: “We warned about this. The Americans left a vacuum. Now we’re paying for it.” The Foreign Secretary has been in non-stop calls with his Pakistani counterpart. Expect a parliamentary statement as early as tomorrow.
This is not just a border skirmish. It is a signal. The Taliban are flexing. They believe history is on their side. And in Westminster, the fear is that Pakistan – already teetering on the edge of economic collapse and political chaos – could be the next domino to fall.
The game just got a lot more dangerous. Watch the 10 o’clock news. This is far from over.
