Pakistan in ‘open war’ against Afghanistan: Which military is more powerful?

Pakistan and Afghanistan are fighting yet again. On Friday morning (February 27), Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that his country is in an ‘open war’ with its neighbour.Pakistan has reportedly claimed that 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 others were wounded in its latest military offensive. Pakistan military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, also told reporters in a press conference that Pakistan’s armed forces had destroyed 73 posts and had captured 18.But Kabul refutes these figures, claiming no loss of lives.According to AFP reporters on the ground, new rounds of gunfire and shelling erupted near the strategic Torkham border crossing.Amid rising tensions between the two neighbours, here’s a look at how Pakistan and Afghanistan’s militaries stack up against one another.OverviewBacked by steady recruitment and retention, Pakistan’s military is reinforced by hardware from its primary defence partner, China. Islamabad is pressing ahead with investment in ...

• 27 Feb 2026