Dawn Editorials 11th October 2025

Afghan policy

AS unconfirmed reports continue to circulate regarding the elimination of banned TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud in Kabul, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership must formulate a policy that protects the country’s borders, stabilises internal security and prevents a major flare-up with Afghanistan.

As per reports, explosions were heard in the Afghan capital on Thursday, though the Taliban government spokesman claimed there was no harm done. When the ISPR chief was asked during a presser on Friday to comment on Mehsud’s reported elimination, he neither confirmed nor denied it but repeated the official demand that Afghanistan take action against terrorists on its soil.

He also added that Pakistan will do “whatever is necessary” to protect its citizens and territory. On Thursday, the defence minister had also raised the issue in the National Assembly, saying that the state was deliberating over sending another delegation to Kabul to convince the Taliban to “dismantle safe havens” that were being used by the terrorists.

The fact is that the Afghan Taliban, despite their denials, have hosted terrorists of various persuasions on their soil. For example, the US strike that took out Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in the Afghan capital in 2022 left the Taliban red-faced, as it was a clear violation of the Doha Agreement between them and the Americans. Therefore, it is not implausible that Noor Wali Mehsud was eliminated while in Kabul.

Pakistan has in the past launched cross-border attacks into Afghanistan, while pursuing terrorists responsible for violence in this country. It is, indeed, a complex situation; the state must act as terrorists, many taking refuge on Afghan soil, martyr civilians and soldiers in brazen attacks. Yet going after militants across the border is not without risk, as it could inflame matters further with the Taliban regime.

Pakistan does not have many good options in this regard. On the external front, it appears that the best course may be to continue relaying the message — bilaterally and together with regional partners such as China, Russia and Iran — to the Afghan Taliban that sheltering terrorists will have costs, such as reduction in trade activities, or downgrading of diplomatic relations.

Kabul must be told that the current situation — where terrorists seek refuge on Afghan soil but the Taliban government remains in denial — is not tenable. What the Afghan Taliban do with their militant ‘guests’ is their problem; Pakistan and the rest of Afghanistan’s neighbours must be assured that their security will not be threatened by these malign actors.

Internally, along with kinetic actions to take territory back from the militants, there is also a need to pursue the non-kinetic elements of NAP, which the ISPR head alluded to. This was a process that had the buy-in of all state institutions.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025

Clearing the air

UN EXPERTS warn that “the air that keeps us alive is making us sick”. Nowhere is this more evident than in Pakistan, which last winter endured its worst smog season in years. An AFP analysis found that tens of millions spent four months breathing air pollution at levels 20 times higher than safe limits. Lahore’s 14m residents endured six months of PM2.5 concentrations far above WHO recommendations; Karachi and Islamabad suffered 120 days of the same choking air. At one point, Lahore’s air quality index spiked to nearly 1,900 — a level so hazardous that it ranked among the worst ever recorded anywhere. The smog was so thick it could be seen from space. It is against this backdrop that DawnMedia convenes the Air We Breathe conference today in Lahore, building on the momentum of the inaugural Breathe Pakistan event in Islamabad. It is a timely intervention in a city that symbolises both the scale of the crisis and the urgency of solutions. The conference agenda rightly ranges from governance and finance to health, diplomacy and judicial activism. The presence of the prime minister, Punjab’s chief minister and senior jurists will underline the stakes. Yet speeches alone will not suffice. The government’s approach has too often treated symptoms rather than sources — closing schools, installing futile anti-smog towers, or restricting independent monitors, while emissions from vehicles, factories, kilns and crop burning continue unchecked.

Experts remind us of the bathtub analogy: if water is overflowing, one must first close the tap, not mop the floor. In Pakistan’s case, that means cutting emissions at their source. Punjab has pledged to enforce emissions rules, expand monitoring and subsidise alternatives to crop burning, but piecemeal enforcement has yielded little. Eighty-three per cent of Lahore’s carbon emissions come from transport; cleaner fuels, stricter standards, and a genuine EV transition are overdue. Public health costs are mounting. Doctors warn of rising respiratory disease, cardiovascular risk, and long-term developmental harm to children. An Ipsos survey found four in five Pakistanis feel directly affected. Young activists describe life in smog as “really suffocating”. If this conference is to matter, it must press governments to set enforceable targets, mobilise financing and empower citizens with real-time data. Clearer skies are possible — Pakistan glimpsed them during the pandemic lockdowns. What is missing is not knowledge, but political will.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025

Observing traffic rules

THE Islamabad High Court chief justice’s recent ruling against the criminalisation of what he considers ‘minor’ traffic violations deserves a closer examination. While hearing a case, Chief Justice Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar described the registration of criminal cases and impounding of vehicles driven by citizens without valid licences as “excessive and unlawful”. He reasoned that such harsh penalties undermine citizens’ rights and the principle of proportionality in law enforcement. While the honourable justice may have been speaking out of well-meaning concern for citizens, some of whom have had to face very strict punishments recently at the hands of Islamabad’s traffic police, one must also look at this issue from the other perspective: can individuals not officially cleared to drive vehicles be allowed to do so, and if not, what would be an adequate deterrent for them?

The IHC chief justice believes that “Creating a criminal record over a minor traffic violation can permanently damage a citizen’s reputation and employment prospects”. That may be true, but what of the civilian lives that are directly imperilled by an untrained, unlicensed driver? There is permanency in the loss of life as well. Often, infractions that seem relatively minor can have severe consequences. In cities like Karachi, going the wrong way on roads is commonly considered one such ‘minor offence’. However, it seems to be the leading cause of major traffic disruptions, and remains a serious road hazard. It must be kept in perspective that traffic rules are put in place to maintain order and ensure safety on the roads. Enforcement failures can create chaotic and, often, very dangerous situations for other commuters, which is why the rules need to be strict and uniformly observed. Therefore, while there is good reason to disallow traffic police officials from resorting to excessive punishments, there is also a need to strengthen their ability to enforce compliance and make sure that the roads are safe for everyone.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2025