Understanding Pakistan's new Counter-Terrorism Operation Azm-e-Istehkam.

The article focuses on Pakistan's evolving counterterrorism strategy, particularly the launch of Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability), aimed at addressing terrorism and extremism amid complex regional dynamics following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. It outlines Pakistan's historical "Good versus Bad Taliban" policy, its challenges with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the role of Afghan Taliban in regional security. Azm-e-Istehkam represents a shift toward integrated military and non-military measures to counter threats, partly driven by Chinese concerns over the security of its investments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the need to restore U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism cooperation. The article also discusses the geopolitical implications involving U.S. and Chinese interests, Pakistan's internal political challenges, and the potential impact of changing U.S. foreign policy under different administrations.