Pakistan, June 11 -- Pakistan's latest strikes along the Afghan border have brought the relationship with Kabul to one of its most serious points since the Taliban returned to power; the writing on the wall screams out loud that the state's patience with cross-border terrorism has been exhausted. According to the government, the operation killed 26 militants and destroyed four terrorist facilities, including a training site, a hideout, an ammunition cache and centres linked to senior TTP commanders. The operation followed attacks in Musa Dara, North Waziristan and Bannu, each adding to Islamabad's view that warnings to Kabul have produced little more than familiar denials.

There is no mystery about what is driving this hardening line. Kh...