The violence on Monday killed seven civilians and wounded 85 others, according to a provincial health official, marking the latest escalation in tensions between the two countries after months of cross-border fighting.The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it had documented “tens of civilians killed or injured” in strikes that hit Asadabad, including a university and surrounding areas of the city.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry condemned the attacks as “a clear breach of the country’s territorial integrity” and summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires in Kabul in protest.Pakistan’s information ministry denied carrying out strikes on residential neighborhoods or the university, calling such allegations a “blatant lie.”

At the university campus in Asadabad, an AFP journalist reported broken windows and damaged solar panels following the attack.Irfanullah, a 20-year-old psychology student, said students dropped to the floor after hearing a loud explosion during class.“Each student tried to get to a safe place, but the windows were broken and some of the students were wounded,” he said.

Another student, Ibadullah, 23, said panic spread immediately after the strike.“Students ran, shoes and books were left on the ground,” he said.Both students declined to provide their surnames for security reasons.Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

The latest violence follows heavy fighting along the frontier earlier this year, as well as Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities including Kabul, an escalation that marked one of the most serious military confrontations between the neighbors in years.A temporary ceasefire was agreed in March, and mediator China later said both sides had committed to avoiding further escalation.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities of sheltering militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation Kabul denies.

The border between the two countries has remained largely closed since deadly violence in October, severely disrupting trade and cross-border movement.

A United Nations human rights report has warned that conditions in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate sharply under the country’s de facto Taliban authorities, with women and girls facing the most severe restrictions and millions struggling amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The assessment, presented by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk at the latest session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, covers developments between August 2025 and January 2026. It highlights a convergence of economic decline, reduced international aid, environmental stress, and governance policies that have significantly constrained civil liberties.

According to the report, approximately 21.9 million people around 45 percent of Afghanistan’s population—are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026. The situation has been exacerbated by a reduction in external funding, the return of nearly three million Afghans from neighboring countries during 2025, and persistent drought conditions affecting livelihoods and food security.

Türk said a series of directives issued since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 has had a “crushing impact” on the population, particularly women and girls. These measures, the report states, have effectively excluded women from most areas of public and professional life.

Since September 2025, Taliban security forces have barred Afghan women, including United Nations staff and contractors, from entering UN premises across the country. The restriction remained in place as of late January 2026, significantly limiting the organization’s operational capacity and its ability to deliver humanitarian assistance.The report also details the formal dismissal of women civil servants.

After being instructed to remain at home following the Taliban takeover while receiving a reduced monthly salary of 5,000 Afghanis, women were informed in January 2026 that their employment had been terminated without due process or compensation. The UN noted the absence of transparency and mitigation measures in this decision.

Educational restrictions remain in place, with girls excluded from schooling beyond the sixth grade and barred from higher education since December 2022. The report notes that medical graduation examinations were conducted in November 2025 without female candidates for a second consecutive year, following a ban on women attending medical institutes imposed in December 2024.

Additional measures have further limited women’s participation in public life. Authorities have enforced dress codes under the “Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,” and although the requirement for full-body covering appears to have been relaxed in some areas, women not adhering to prescribed attire continue to face denial of access to public transport, markets, and services.

The closure of beauty salons and the removal of books authored by women from libraries and bookstores, regardless of subject matter, have further restricted cultural and intellectual expression.“The de facto authorities have, in effect, criminalized the presence of women and girls in public life,” Türk said, adding that these policies affect access to healthcare, civic participation, and freedom of movement and expression.

The report also identifies broader human rights concerns, including the use of public executions and corporal punishment. Since 2021, authorities have carried out 12 public executions, including two during the reporting period, often in sports stadiums. Public floggings are reported to occur on a weekly basis.In late September 2025, Afghanistan experienced a nationwide shutdown of its fibre optic network, resulting in a 48-hour blackout of internet and mobile services.

The disruption affected healthcare delivery, emergency response systems, aviation operations, and financial services, according to the report, which noted that no official explanation was provided.Media freedom has also come under increased pressure. Journalists face arbitrary detention and restrictions on content, while live political talk shows have been banned since February 2025.

Broadcasting of music and drama has also been prohibited. Women journalists who remain active in the profession encounter additional barriers, including reported incidents of being silenced during official briefings.Türk described the overall situation as severe, citing widespread poverty and limited access to essential services.

“Millions of Afghans live in utter poverty, deprived of their right to adequate food, clean water, and access to education, healthcare and employment,” he said. He added that natural disasters, including two earthquakes in late 2025, have compounded existing challenges, while funding cuts have weakened humanitarian response efforts.

Security conditions along Afghanistan’s borders have also contributed to instability. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 70 civilian deaths and 478 injuries attributed to Pakistani military actions during cross-border incidents in the final quarter of 2025.

The report notes that these figures exceed annual civilian casualty levels recorded in previous years, with the most intense period occurring between October 10 and 17, when more than 500 civilians were affected.In response to these developments, the UN has called on Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to reverse policies that restrict fundamental rights.

Recommendations include restoring women’s access to education and employment, halting executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, ending arbitrary detentions, and ensuring fair trial standards. The report also calls for respect for freedom of expression and unimpeded humanitarian access.

The UN has urged member states to suspend forced returns of Afghan nationals, warning that deportees face credible risks of persecution, torture, and other serious harm. It has also emphasized the importance of supporting a newly established Independent Investigative Mechanism mandated to collect evidence of potential international crimes.

Türk noted that accountability efforts have gained some traction, referencing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in July 2025. He called on states to cooperate with ongoing investigations and provide financial support for accountability mechanisms.

Separately, a civil society-led People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan delivered a symbolic judgment in December 2025, finding the Taliban and associated authorities responsible for crimes against humanity, including gender-based persecution and arbitrary detention.

The tribunal also called for the recognition of “gender apartheid” as a distinct international crime.Türk endorsed efforts to formalize this concept in international law, stating that defining gender apartheid would be a critical step toward addressing systemic discrimination. He urged Afghan authorities to reconsider policies excluding women from public life, emphasizing their central role in the country’s future.

“Women and girls are the present and the future, and the country cannot thrive without them.”

Five police personnel were killed when their vehicle was ambushed in a coordinated assault, underscoring the persistent failure to contain militant violence despite years of counterterrorism operations.

The attack took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district, an area previously considered relatively insulated from frequent militant strikes.

According to provincial authorities, the police van was first hit by an improvised explosive device before attackers opened fire at close range.

Four police officers and the driver were killed on the spot, reflecting the intensity and precision of the assault.

The attackers managed to strike a moving security target, raising serious questions about intelligence gaps and operational preparedness.

Later, officials stated that security forces killed several militants during follow-up operations, though such claims have become routine and often fail to reassure the public.

The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, reaffirming its ability to strike security forces with alarming ease.

The group has been engaged in a long-running insurgency against the Pakistani state, and its renewed activity signals a dangerous resurgence.

Despite repeated assurances from authorities, militant groups continue to operate with lethal effectiveness in multiple regions.

This latest attack reinforces concerns that counterterrorism strategies have failed to deliver lasting stability.

The killing of police personnel also reflects the heavy human cost borne by frontline security forces.

Police units, often under-resourced and overstretched, remain prime targets for militants seeking to undermine state authority.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, praising the role of police in combating terrorism.

However, official condemnations have increasingly been seen as symbolic gestures rather than indicators of real policy change.

Public frustration is growing as similar attacks recur with little visible improvement in security conditions.

The Karak incident comes amid deteriorating relations between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.

Islamabad has accused militant groups of using Afghan territory to plan and launch attacks, an allegation that has strained diplomatic ties.

Border tensions have escalated following repeated incidents and the collapse of informal ceasefire arrangements.

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, Pakistan has faced a sharp increase in cross-border militancy.

Analysts argue that Pakistan’s internal security challenges are closely linked to its regional policy failures.

The inability to effectively manage border security has allowed militant networks to regroup and expand operations.

Local communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to live under the constant threat of violence, with limited state protection.

The attack has also exposed the risks faced by police officers operating in high-threat environments without adequate support.

Critics say that Pakistan’s security institutions remain reactive rather than preventive in their approach.

Repeated militant strikes damage public trust in the state’s capacity to ensure safety and rule of law.

Economic instability further compounds the problem, diverting resources away from comprehensive security reforms.

The persistence of such attacks suggests that militancy remains deeply entrenched rather than contained.

For many citizens, the loss of police lives reflects a broader governance failure rather than an isolated tragedy.

As militant violence spreads into areas once considered safe, the sense of insecurity continues to deepen.

Without meaningful reforms, improved intelligence coordination, and regional cooperation, Pakistan risks further destabilization.

The Karak attack stands as a grim reminder that the country’s security crisis is far from over.

It also highlights the urgent need for accountability, transparency, and a reassessment of long-standing counterterrorism policies.

Until concrete action replaces rhetoric, Pakistan’s law enforcement personnel will remain exposed, and civilians will continue to bear the consequences of unchecked militancy.