THE US INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN: TRANSFORMING PAKISTAN'S SECURITY LANDSCAPE

Abstract

The US invasion of Afghanistan significantly affected Pakistan's security dynamics by exacerbating cross-border terrorism, straining civil-military relations, and leading to an influx of refugees, which intensified internal security challenges and destabilized the region. This study employs a historical research design and qualitative methodology, utilizing secondary sources to analyze the impacts of the US invasion of Afghanistan on Pakistan's security landscape. Before 9/11, Pakistan experienced sectarian conflicts but was relatively free from widespread terrorism. In the post-9/11 period, the US invasion of Afghanistan and Pakistan's alliance with the US led to increased terrorist activities, severe human and economic losses, and heightened instability across the country. The paper is an effort to highlight Pakistan’s security landscape in the milieu of the US invasion of Afghanistan.