Pakistan stands at a critical juncture, engulfed by overlapping crises on domestic, regional, and international fronts. Border skirmishes with Afghanistan have intensified in recent weeks, particularly along the Durand Line, where militant incursions and artillery exchanges have eroded earlier diplomatic conventions, according to a video report by Gaurav Sawant of India Today.

Islamabad’s repeated military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have further strained its overstretched security apparatus, as insurgent factions grow bolder and coordination among paramilitary forces weakens.

The economy remains in severe distress, punctuated by record inflation, dwindling foreign reserves, and a collapse in public confidence. Structural reforms expected under IMF supervision have faltered, limiting Pakistan’s fiscal recovery and leading to renewed dependence on external bailouts. Ordinary citizens bear the brunt through increasing food insecurity, energy shortages, and unemployment that has reached its highest level in over a decade.

Strategic analysts note that Army Chief General Asim Munir faces mounting pressure from President Trump’s administration. Washington insists on greater cooperation against transnational terrorist networks operating along Pakistan’s western borders.

However, Pakistan’s military establishment is caught in a bind—balancing American expectations with the risk of provoking internal backlash from Islamist factions that view the United States as an adversary. The political costs of such alignment have made Islamabad diplomatically cautious yet increasingly isolated.

A tenuous ceasefire with the Afghan Taliban, mediated in Doha, remains in place but is constantly tested by cross-border militancy and intelligence disputes. The Taliban government has accused Pakistan of harbouring anti-Kabul elements, while Islamabad alleges the opposite.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s gradual strategic tilt towards New Delhi for aid and training has recalibrated the regional balance. India’s growing developmental presence in Kabul—ranging from infrastructure projects to counter-insurgency advisory support—signifies a major geopolitical shift that undercuts Pakistan’s long-standing influence over Afghan policy.

Within its borders, Pakistan’s internal cohesion continues to deteriorate. Groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik exert significant influence across tribal and urban areas, challenging state authority and paralysing governance.

Periodic operations by the military have failed to yield long-term stability, as militant recruitment and ideological radicalisation persist. Civil institutions, weakened by corruption and political infighting, lack the capacity to restore order or sustain public trust.

Experts warn that the convergence of economic collapse, ethnic separatism, and civil unrest could push Pakistan to the brink of structural fragmentation. Some foresee a scenario in which provincial autonomy movements in Balochistan and Sindh accelerate, weakening central authority.

Combined with pressure from external actors and an emboldened Afghan frontier, the risk of partial state disintegration can no longer be dismissed.

Amid these pressures, Pakistan’s leadership faces difficult choices. Its alliances are shifting, its borders contested, and its internal stability increasingly uncertain. For a state that has long positioned itself as a regional power broker, the unfolding crisis reveals deep vulnerabilities that could redefine South Asia’s strategic landscape.

Based On India Today Video Report