Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday night lauded the security forces after the Pakistan Army responded to unprovoked attacks by Afghan Taliban fighters on border posts. Clashes between the two sides were reported in multiple areas along the Pak-Afghan border.
“Firing by Afghan forces on civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws. Pakistan’s brave forces have proven by giving a prompt and effective response that no provocation will be tolerated at all,” said the interior minister in a post on X.
“Pakistan’s forces are alert and Afghanistan is being answered with stones for bricks. The people of Pakistan stand with the brave armed forces like a lead wall. Afghanistan will also be given a befitting reply like India.”
“In a prompt and intense response, Pakistani forces effectively targeted several Afghan border posts,” security officials confirmed earlier. There are reports of significant damage inflicted on multiple Afghan posts and militant formations, according to security sources.
Pakistan Army reportedly used artillery, tanks, and both light and heavy weapons in its response, added security sources.
The clashes broke out after Kabul accused Islamabad of carrying out air strikes on the Afghan capital earlier this week, according to Taliban border forces.
“In retaliation for the air strikes by Pakistani forces“, Taliban border forces in the east are “engaged in heavy clashes against Pakistani forces’ posts in various border areas”, the Afghan military said in a statement.
Taliban officials from the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, Khost, and Helmand — all located on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan — confirmed the clashes.
Islamabad did not confirm that it was behind the attacks, but called on Kabul “to stop harbouring the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its soil”.
A subsequent statement from security sources said: “Several Afghan soldiers were killed and kharijite formations retreated due to effective and intense retaliation by Pakistani forces. Afghan posts failed to provide covering fire to kharijites. Reports of heavy losses to several Afghan posts and kharijite formations.”
“Kharijites and Daesh hideouts inside Afghanistan, operating under the patronage of the interim Afghan government, are being effectively targeted. Pakistan is using artillery, tanks, light, and heavy weapons. In addition, air resources and drones are also being used to target Daesh and kharijite hideouts. The headquarters of Afghan forces, which have been sheltering Daesh and Fitna al-Khawarij, are also being targeted.”
In a series of posts on X, the state broadcaster issued the following statement quoting security sources: “Unprovoked firing from the Afghan side at Pak-Afghan border,a strong ,intense response from Pakistan Army. Afghan forces carried out unprovoked firing at several locations, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral, and Baramcha (Balochistan).”
It said Pakistan was currently “targeting terrorist camps and hideouts of khawarij, ISIS located near the Pak-Afghan border inside Afghanistan with great precision. Afghan forces have retreated from several areas”.
The Afghan Ministry of Defence stated that Afghan forces launched “retaliatory operations against Pakistani security forces” tonight.
“The operations ended at midnight. If the opposing side violates Afghanistan’s territory again, our armed forces are ready to defend their territory and will respond firmly,” said the statement.
Calls for restraint
Iranian top diplomat Abbas Araghchi called on Afghanistan and Pakistan “to exercise restraint” amid ongoing clashes.
“Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint,” Araghchi said during a live interview with state television, adding that “stability” between the countries “contributes to regional stability”.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, with which Pakistan recently signed a mutual defence deal, expressed concern at the skirmishes.
“The kingdom calls for restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom to contribute to reducing tensions and maintaining security and stability in the region.
“The kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability, and its continued commitment to ensuring security, which will achieve stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples.”
Qatar’s foreign ministry urged both sides to prioritise dialogue, diplomacy, and restraint, and to work towards containing differences in a manner that help to reduce tension and avoid escalation, in order to achieve regional security and stability.
The foreign ministry reiterated Qatar’s support for all regional and international efforts aimed at strengthening international peace and security, and affirmed its commitment to ensuring security and prosperity for the people of the two countries.
Deterioration in bilateral relations
The past week was particularly charged with statements to and fro from both sides as Pakistan suffered a string of casualties among security forces in intelligence-based operations, while Afghanistan accused the former of violating its sovereignty.
The issue of terrorists using Afghan soil against Pakistan, along with frequent border skirmishes, has long strained ties between the two countries, with Islamabad repeatedly urging the interim Afghan government to stop allowing its territory to be used for attacks.
Islamabad maintains that its patience is wearing thin after a series of deadly attacks inside Pakistan that it blames on militants operating from Afghan territory. “Enough is enough, Pakistan government and armed forces’ patience has worn out,” Asif had said on Thursday in the National Assembly.
Kabul, however, denies allegations of providing safe havens to these groups.
Afghan officials, meanwhile, publicly blamed Pakistan a day ago. The Afghan defence ministry said, “Once again, Pakistan violated Afghan airspace, bombed a civilian market in the Paktika airspace near the Durand Line, and also violated the territory of the capital Kabul.”
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India earlier this week, marking India’s first high-level engagement with the Taliban government since it took power in 2021.
Speaking about the Thursday night explosion in Kabul during a press conference in New Delhi a day ago, Muttaqi had condemned the incident and Pakistan for its alleged role in it.
Earlier, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry did not directly respond when questioned whether Pakistan was responsible for the attacks. “To safeguard Pakistani lives and properties, what measures need to be taken will be taken,” he told reporters.
The Foreign Office had avoided directly acknowledging strikes in Kabul, instead framing Pakistan’s counter-terrorism actions as legitimate self-defence against militants operating from Afghan soil.
Speaking at a separate news conference in Peshawar, held almost simultaneously with the FO briefing, military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also declined to confirm or deny whether the military had carried out strikes in Kabul. He nonetheless underscored Pakistan’s right and resolve to defend itself. “Afghanistan is being used as a base of operations for carrying out terrorism in Pakistan. There is also evidence of this,” he said.
