Data Story: How do Pakistan and Afghan Taliban militaries stack up as tensions flare?

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan flared ​this week after the Afghan Taliban government accused its neighbour of attacking a drug rehabilitation centre and killing more than 400 people - a ⁠charge denied by Islamabad.

A man stands on the debris at the site of a drug rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026.

Amid fears of a sharp escalation in ⁠the conflict, here is a look at how ‌the militaries of the ​allies-turned-foes compare, according to data from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Overview

Pakistan's government has invested heavily in its military, building up its nuclear programme and modernising all branches with the help ​of equipment from its ⁠main defence partner China.

Afghanistan's forces have been constrained by the Afghan Taliban government's lack of international recognition, which has restricted access to parts, expertise and maintenance.

Personnel

File photo: Pakistani Army soldier salutes while standing on an air defence missile system during Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 23, 2022.

Pakistan has ⁠660,000 active ‌personnel - 560,000 in the army, 70,000 in the air force and 30,000 in the navy.

The Afghan ‌Taliban's military is around a quarter of the size with 150,000 active ⁠personnel.

Fighting vehicles and artillery

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers stand at a checkpost, where last night clashes took place between Taliban and Afghan forces in Kunduz, Afghanistan

Pakistan has more than 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles and over 4,600 pieces ‌of artillery.

The Afghan forces have armoured fighting ‌vehicles including Soviet-era main battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers ‌and autonomous underwater vehicles.

There are no reliable estimates of ‌the size of their fleet or of their artillery stockpile.

Air Force

Tracers from anti-aircraft fire after an explosion in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul

Pakistan has 422 combat aircraft and more than 260 helicopters.

Afghanistan has no fighter ⁠jets and ⁠no real air force to speak of. It is known to possess at least six aircraft - some of them dating back to the Soviet era - and 22 helicopters, although it is not clear how many are in service.

The Afghan Taliban has used drones to target Pakistan in recent ​months, Reuters has reported, though their origin and numbers are ​not known.

Nuclear

Pakistan is a ​nuclear power that continues to invest in its nuclear programmes despite budgetary pressures. ​Afghanistan does not have a nuclear arsenal.