FO says regime must stop its soil being used for terrorist attacks in Pakistan, reaffirms right to self-defence<\/p>\n
A police officer stands guard along a road leading to the border crossing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan in Balochistan Province, in Chaman on February 27, 2026. Photo: Reuters <\/p>\n
Pakistan on Monday rejected what it called \u201cbaseless and unsubstantiated allegations regarding civilian casualties attributed to its counter-terrorism operations\u201d, reaffirming its right to take necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens against terrorism originating from Afghan soil.<\/p>\n
Last month<\/a>, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Pakistan had carried out \u201cprecision\u201d aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan after drones launched from Afghan territory entered Pakistani airspace, describing the strikes as a response to a \u201cdeliberate and unlawful incursion\u201d.<\/p>\n The development came amid fighting \u200bbetween Pakistan and Afghanistan that started<\/a>\u00a0in October 2025. Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring \u2060militants<\/a> \u200bwho launch attacks in Pakistan, \u200balthough Kabul denies this, calling the militancy its neighbour’s domestic problem.<\/p>\n In a statement posted on X, the Foreign Office (FO) said disinformation and misleading narratives would neither obscure the threat posed by terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan nor absolve the Afghan Taliban regime of its responsibility to prevent Afghan territory from being used to plan and launch attacks against Pakistan. It added that such attacks had resulted in more than 3,500 casualties in 2026 alone.<\/p>\n Read More: <\/strong>Pakistan refutes former US envoy’s ‘unsubstantiated’ allegations of arming Afghans to fight Taliban<\/a><\/p>\n The FO called on the international community to \u201chold the Taliban regime accountable for its failure to uphold its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions and other related commitments to prevent Afghan soil from being used as a launchpad for terrorism\u201d.<\/p>\n It also reiterated Pakistan\u2019s right to \u201ctake all necessary measures in order to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety and security of Pakistani nationals\u201d.<\/p>\n Citing reports by relevant UN mechanisms, including the Monitoring Team, the FO said the Taliban regime continued to shelter a large number of terrorist organisations with impunity, a situation it described as a serious concern for the international community.<\/p>\n These organisations included the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Fitna al-Khawarij, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Fitna al-Hindustan, along with their affiliates, the statement said. It added that the groups continued to pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and stability.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd0a PR No. 3\ufe0f\u20e30\ufe0f\u20e38\ufe0f\u20e3\/2\ufe0f\u20e30\ufe0f\u20e32\ufe0f\u20e36\ufe0f\u20e3<\/p>\n Pakistan Rejects Baseless Allegations by the Afghan Taliban Regime, Reaffirms Right to Self-Defence Against Terrorism<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd17\u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/O8e7sNkzQ9<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 26, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n The FO further said thousands of Pakistanis had been martyred in terrorist attacks planned, financed, supported and carried out from Afghan soil, with the alleged involvement and facilitation of the Afghan Taliban regime. \u201cNo responsible state can remain passive when its civilians and security forces are repeatedly targeted,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n It added that Islamabad\u2019s actions in response to such attacks were undertaken in exercise of its right to self-defence, in accordance with the principles of necessity and as a measure of last resort. The FO maintained that the actions had been directed \u201conly and exclusively against terrorists and their logistical support bases in Afghanistan\u201d.<\/p>\n It also said Pakistan\u2019s response had been proportionate to the level of threat and had strictly adhered to the principles of distinction and precaution. It added that the scale and scope of the action reflected restraint, particularly given the severity and frequency of terrorist attacks faced by the country. \u201cPakistan rejects any insinuations otherwise,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Amid continued tensions between the neighbours, Operation Ghazab Lil Haq<\/a> was launched around the end of February following renewed clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan.<\/p>\n The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions. The two sides had agreed to a week-long ceasefire<\/a> on the eve of Eidul Fitr on March 18, following requests from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.<\/p>\n\n