Open War at the Durand Line: Can Pakistan’s Escalation Compel a Taliban Recalculation?

Pakistan has declared "open war" on Afghanistan, escalating its conflict by striking official Taliban military installations in major cities like Kabul and Kandahar. This significant military action followed the failure of previous measures, such as border closures and limited strikes on militant camps, to compel the Taliban to cease harboring anti-Pakistan groups. The Taliban may be miscalculating their ability to withstand this pressure, as their historical success against foreign powers was often dependent on support from Pakistan itself. The conflict is now a high-stakes test of whether Pakistan's hybrid coercion strategy can force a strategic shift from the Taliban or if it will backfire by unifying them against a common enemy.