Dozens of people have been killed this month in fierce clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, marking their bloodiest confrontation since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. As both sides agreed to a fragile 48-hour ceasefire that began on Wednesday at 1300 GMT, attention has turned to the glaring imbalance between their militaries, and how Pakistan’s once-vaunted armed forces now find themselves overextended, politically constrained, and struggling to maintain control.

Overview

Pakistan’s military, long seen as the backbone of its state power, remains large but increasingly hollowed out by corruption, low morale, and overreliance on China. Decades of focusing on proxy wars and internal repression have left its forces overstretched. Islamabad continues to pour billions into its n

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