After bloody border clashes, Taliban fighters mocked Pakistan by parading soldiers’ trousers — a symbolic humiliation as both sides agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire.
In a surreal and humiliating twist to one of South Asia’s most volatile border flare-ups, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan were seen parading the trousers of Pakistani soldiers, celebrating what they called a “victory” after deadly clashes along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier.
The bizarre display — images of Taliban members holding up empty Pakistani army trousers — quickly went viral online, with observers saying the phrase “caught with their pants down” took on a grimly literal meaning for Islamabad. According to reports, several Pakistani troops abandoned their posts amid intense fighting near the Spin Boldak–Chaman border zone.
Ceasefire Amid Chaos
By Wednesday evening, both Kabul and Islamabad announced a 48-hour temporary ceasefire, though each side insisted it was at the other’s request. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the truce began at 13:00 GMT “at Kabul’s request,” while Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid countered that it came “after the insistence of the Pakistani side.”
The UN’s human rights chief Volker Türk welcomed the truce and urged both nations to “commit to a lasting ceasefire and protect civilians.”
The clashes — the worst since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover — erupted after Pakistan accused the Afghan regime of harboring militants who attack across the border. Kabul fired back, blaming Islamabad for spreading disinformation and allegedly sheltering ISIS-linked groups to destabilize Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban claimed that over a dozen civilians were killed and 100 injured in Pakistani strikes near Spin Boldak. Islamabad denied the accusations, countering that four of its civilians were wounded in Taliban attacks across the border in Chaman.
Taliban’s ‘Pants Parade’
As the guns fell silent, Taliban fighters reportedly took to the streets in celebration. Videos circulating online showed Afghan troops posing atop captured Pakistani tanks and weaponry, waving flags, and shouting slogans of victory.
One viral photo, shared by BBC journalist Daud Junbish, showed Taliban members triumphantly displaying the trousers of Pakistani soldiers — allegedly taken from abandoned posts near the Durand Line. The caption read:
“‘Empty trousers’, recovered from abandoned military posts of the Pakistani army near Durand Line, displayed in eastern Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.”
The image has since become an embarrassing symbol for Pakistan’s military, sparking mockery across social media and within Afghan circles that celebrated the Taliban’s defiance.
Humanitarian Toll
While propaganda and posturing dominated headlines, the human cost was severe. Emergency NGO, which operates a war surgery center in Kabul, reported five fatalities and 35 wounded brought in after the clashes.
“We started receiving ambulances filled with wounded people,” said Dejan Panic, the center’s country director. “They had shrapnel injuries, blunt trauma, and burns.”
Officials in Pakistan’s border regions told AFP that “no violence was reported overnight,” confirming the fragile ceasefire remained in effect. However, additional paramilitary forces have been deployed to prevent renewed fighting.
Blackouts were also reported across parts of Kabul due to damaged power lines from explosions, underscoring the chaos left in the wake of the border confrontation.
Regional Fallout
The Taliban’s taunting imagery and Islamabad’s defensive denials have deepened tensions between the two uneasy neighbors. Analysts warn that the “pants parade” will become a symbolic humiliation for Pakistan’s military establishment, undermining its image at home and abroad — and strengthening the Taliban’s claim to regional dominance.
For now, the 48-hour ceasefire stands — but the battle for influence, pride, and perception along the world’s most volatile border is far from over.
