Pakistan and Afghanistan, “in open war”: How do the armies of the two countries compare / The chapter where the Taliban are almost at “zero”

Pakistan attacked Taliban government targets in major cities in Afghanistan overnight Thursday and Friday, and Pakistan's defense minister said the conflict between the two neighboring countries had turned into “open war.” Both camps claim to have inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy forces.

Here is the difference between the forces of the armies of Pakistan and Afghanistan, according to data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London and Reuters.

Huge advantage of Pakistan over Afghanistan

Pakistan's armed forces benefit from good recruitment and retention of personnel, and benefit from equipment provided by its main defense partner, China.

Islamabad is continuously investing in its military nuclear programs and is also modernizing its navy and air force.

The capability of the Afghan Taliban's armed forces is, by comparison, in decline, with their ability to use the foreign equipment the Islamist group seized when it returned to power at sea in 2021 declining.

The Taliban administration's lack of international recognition has also affected its ability to modernize its military.

How many soldiers each have

Pakistan has 660,000 active members in its defense forces, of which 560,000 are in the army, 70,000 in the air force and 30,000 in the navy.

The Afghan Taliban's military strength is smaller, with only 172,000 active members. However, the group has announced plans to expand its armed forces to 200,000 members.

Comparison of the number of combat vehicles and guns

Pakistan has over 6,000 armored fighting vehicles and over 4,600 artillery pieces.

Afghan forces also possess armored fighting vehicles, including Soviet-era main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and autonomous underwater vehicles, but their exact numbers are unknown.

The exact number of artillery pieces they possess, which are of at least three different types, is also unknown.

Afghanistan has almost zero air force

Pakistan has a fleet of 465 combat aircraft and over 260 helicopters, which include multi-role, attack and transport helicopters.

Afghanistan has no fighter jets and no real air force. It is known to own at least six planes – some of them dating back to the Soviet era – and 23 helicopters, but it is not known how many of these are capable of flying.

While Pakistan is a nuclear-armed country with 170 warheads, Afghanistan does not possess a nuclear arsenal.