Comparing Military Capabilities: How Taliban and Pakistan's Armed Forces Stack Up Amid Escalating Border Tensions

Pakistan possesses a substantial, professional military force comprising approximately six to seven hundred thousand soldiers.

Escalating tensions between Afghanistan's Taliban government and Pakistan continue to intensify, with both nations reporting significant casualties from severe cross-border confrontations during the past week.

On Sunday, a Taliban spokesperson alleged that Afghan forces eliminated at least 58 Pakistani soldiers and injured more than 30 in retaliatory operations near the Durand Line's Behrampur district, cautioning Islamabad that "no attack will go unanswered". They further accused Pakistan of harboring ISIS terrorists.

According to Taliban sources, Afghan forces targeted numerous Pakistani military installations across multiple border provinces, including Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Paktika, Paktia, Khost, Nangarhar, and Kunar, all areas adjacent to Pakistan.

Pakistan's military contested the Taliban's casualty figures, asserting that their forces eliminated over 200 Afghan fighters in what they characterized as "defensive action" to counter cross-border attacks.

Examining the military capabilities of Pakistan and the Taliban reveals significant disparities. Pakistan maintains a large, professional army of approximately 600,000-700,000 personnel. This includes sophisticated special forces like the Special Service Group (SSG), bolstered by robust command structures, logistics networks, air power, heavy equipment, and intelligence capabilities. Pakistan's military also possesses long-range weaponry and naval forces.

Since assuming control in 2021, the Taliban has transitioned from an insurgent organization to governing Afghanistan and commanding its security apparatus. Their total force strength remains undisclosed, but analysts indicate they represent a considerably smaller and less structured force than a conventional national army. While their elite units demonstrate visibility and training, they remain limited in scale.

The Taliban's elite formations include the Badri-313, a specialized commando unit responsible for high-profile security assignments such as airport and presidential palace protection, alongside conducting tactical raids. Their equipment, predominantly captured from Afghan army or US forces (including M4 rifles, Humvees, helmets, night-vision equipment, and light armor), enables short-range, high-impact operations but lacks the comprehensive capabilities of professional special forces.

The Red Unit constitutes the Taliban's most thoroughly trained assault teams from their insurgency period. These small-scale formations, typically squad or battalion-sized, employ guerrilla and commando tactics rather than conventional military approaches.

Pakistan's special forces encompass the SSG (Army), representing their primary special operations capability. These forces comprise several battalions, including counter-terrorism units like Zarrar. They receive training for air, sea, and mountain operations and benefit from substantial logistics and support for extended deployments.

Pakistan also maintains Navy SSG and Air Force special units, enhancing their capabilities for maritime and aerial operations. Collectively, Pakistan's special forces can execute complex multi-domain operations far exceeding Taliban capabilities.

Regarding training, Taliban elite units receive focused combat and assault instruction, occasionally from Haqqani-affiliated trainers. However, their training regimen remains less comprehensive, shorter in duration, and lacks the experience and international exposure characteristic of professional military forces.

Pakistan's Special Operations Forces (SOF) benefit from formal training programs, specialized schools, and years of professional development. They also participate in international training exercises, producing highly capable small units equipped to operate across diverse environments.

Equipment disparities are significant. The Taliban primarily utilize captured Afghan army or US equipment (M4 rifles, body armor, Humvees, night-vision devices). While beneficial for short-range operations, they lack comprehensive logistics, air support, and precision weaponry.

Pakistan's SOF possess modern weapons systems, sniper rifles, missiles, helicopters, and comprehensive intelligence support. This enables them to conduct a broader spectrum of operations, including long-range strikes, reconnaissance, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism missions.

The Taliban faces vulnerabilities in logistics and equipment maintenance. Their elite units risk diminished effectiveness from casualties or internal conflicts. They have limited external training partnerships and lack air power and long-range precision strike capabilities.

While Pakistan's SOF demonstrate high proficiency, they encounter challenges including political constraints, domestic security demands, and challenging terrain along border regions.