Pakistan rejects Taliban claims, defends counter-terror operations

Pakistan on Monday rejected the Afghan Taliban administration’s allegations that civilians had been harmed during Pakistani counter-terrorism operations, describing the claims as baseless and unsupported. The Foreign Office said Islamabad’s actions were directed exclusively at terrorist organisations and their logistical infrastructure inside Afghanistan.

The ministry said militant attacks originating from Afghan territory had caused more than 3,500 casualties in Pakistan during 2026. It argued that misleading narratives about Pakistani operations could not conceal the continuing threat posed by armed groups using Afghan territory to plan, support and execute attacks across the border.

According to the official statement, the Afghan Taliban administration continues to provide space to several militant organisations, including Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army, along with their affiliated networks. Islamabad maintains that these groups pose a threat not only to Pakistan but also to wider regional stability.

The Foreign Office said Pakistani civilians and security personnel had repeatedly been targeted by attacks planned, financed or supported from Afghanistan. It maintained that no responsible state could remain passive while its population and security institutions faced continuing violence linked to cross-border militant sanctuaries.

Pakistan described its response as an exercise of the right to self-defence and a measure of last resort. The ministry said operations were proportionate to the identified threat, directed against militants and support facilities, and conducted under the principles of distinction and precaution intended to protect civilians.

The statement also called upon the international community to hold the Afghan Taliban administration accountable for its obligations under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan said Kabul must prevent Afghan territory from being used as a base for terrorism and take verifiable action against groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained over the militant threat since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan has repeatedly sought action against cross-border networks, while the Afghan authorities have disputed several Pakistani allegations and rejected responsibility for insecurity inside the country.

Multiple rounds of bilateral engagement have so far failed to resolve the core security dispute. Pakistan has maintained that assurances alone are insufficient and that progress depends on demonstrable measures against militant leadership, training locations, financing channels and logistical networks operating from Afghan soil.

The latest statement signals that Islamabad intends to maintain diplomatic pressure while preserving the option of defensive action against future threats. Further developments will depend on Kabul’s response, any evidence presented regarding civilian casualties and whether international partners press for a verifiable mechanism to prevent cross-border terrorism.