A bizarre image has gone viral from Afghanistan showing Taliban fighters holding trousers allegedly belonging to Pakistani soldiers after intense clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The unusual display, widely shared online, became an embarrassing issue for Islamabad after days of fighting led the two countries to declare a 48-hour ceasefire.
Armistice after fierce fighting
On Wednesday, officials from both sides confirmed a temporary ceasefire after hostilities escalated in Spin Boldak (Afghanistan) and Chaman (Pakistan). Islamabad’s foreign ministry said the ceasefire was requested by Kabul, while Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the deal came at Pakistan’s insistence.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk welcomed the ceasefire and called on both sides to avoid civilian casualties and work towards a lasting peace. The latest violence was described as the worst since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Disputed Claims
The two neighbors traded accusations over the flare-up. Islamabad has claimed that Taliban-backed militants are launching cross-border attacks from Afghan soil, while Kabul has rejected the allegations, accusing Pakistan of spreading “disinformation” and provoking clashes.
The Taliban said the Pakistani attacks killed over a dozen Afghan civilians and wounded 100 others. However, Pakistan denied targeting civilians and said four of its citizens were injured by Taliban gunfire.
Viral “pants” image.
Amid the celebrations that followed the ceasefire, videos emerged online showing Taliban fighters parading captured military equipment, including tanks and weapons. But one image stood out: Afghan fighters holding trousers said to have been taken from abandoned Pakistani army posts along the Durand Line.
The photograph, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by BBC journalist Daud Junbish, was captioned: “‘Empty pants’ recovered from abandoned Pakistan Army military posts near the Durand Line on display in eastern Nangrahar province, Afghanistan.”
Social media users quickly linked the image with the phrase “caught with their pants down,” making it a viral symbol of the confrontation.
Consequences of clashes
The humanitarian organization Emergency NGO, which runs a war surgery hospital in Kabul, said it had received five dead and 35 wounded during the clashes. “We started getting ambulances full of injured people,” said country director Dejan Panic, describing patients with shrapnel injuries, burns and blunt trauma.
By Thursday, Pakistani security officials told AFP the ceasefire was holding and no overnight violence had been reported. Additional paramilitary forces were deployed along the border to prevent further escalation.
Blackouts were also reported in parts of Kabul after power cables were damaged during the fighting, AFP added.
