ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Friday warned that non-state actors operating from Afghan territory pose a serious threat not only to Pakistan but to global peace.
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Corps Headquarters, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Kabul must make a “clear decision” not to allow its soil to be used against Pakistan.
“We tell Afghanistan not to allow its soil to become a haven for terrorists and non-state actors,” he said, adding that Pakistan is engaging Afghan authorities at diplomatic and defense levels. “We will take every step to protect the people of Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We are doing—and will do—whatever is necessary.”
Hours after Pakistan’s security forces killed nearly 30 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in a series of coordinated operations along the Afghan border, the country’s military spokesman warned that Afghanistan must not allow its territory to become a base for terrorist groups threatening regional stability.
Surge in Attacks and Security Operations
Highlighting the worsening security situation, Lt Gen Chaudhry said terrorism has resurged since 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
In 2025 (until September 15), over 10,000 operations were carried out, killing 970 terrorists and resulting in the martyrdom of 311 Pakistan Army personnel, other than 73 police and 172 civilians.
“The rise in terrorist incidents was met with an equally strong response,” the DG ISPR said. “More kharijis (extremists) were eliminated in subsequent years.”
In 2024 alone, he said, Pakistan conducted 1,435 intelligence-based operations in KP, killing 769 militants, including 58 Afghans. The country lost 272 army and Frontier Corps soldiers, 140 policemen, and 165 civilians.
Taliban’s Allegations of Afghanistan’s Airspace Violation
Earlier today, the Taliban’s Ministry of National Defence accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s airspace.
During the press conference, the DG ISPR was also asked about media reports alleging a strike was carried out in Kabul last night to eliminate the banned terror outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) leader Noor Wali Mehsud.
In his response, the military spokesperson said the army had taken note of the reports circulating on social media and the statement issued by the Taliban government spokesperson.
“Afghanistan is a neighbouring Islamic country. We have historical connections, cultural connections. Pakistan has hosted Afghan refugees for four decades. We only say one thing to the Afghan government: do not allow your soil to be used for terrorism against Pakistan,” the DG ISPR said.
He pointed out that trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan was also continuing, and many Afghans came to Pakistan for medical reasons. “So we only have an extremely fair demand: don’t let your soil be used by non-state actors and terrorist groups.”
The DG ISPR further added, “Afghanistan is being used as a base of operations for carrying out terrorism in Pakistan. There is also evidence of this.”
“All the necessary steps for protecting the people’s lives and property are being taken and will continue to be taken,” the military spokesperson maintained.
Weak Governance and Political Manipulation
Referring to the post-2014 Army Public School (APS) tragedy period, the army spokesman said Pakistan had nearly achieved peace in KP before a “well-thought-out plan” allowed militants to reemerge.
Without naming a political party, the military spokesman said that “Governance and public welfare were deliberately weakened, and a misleading narrative was built,” he said. “The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are paying for it with their blood.”
He accused certain political and criminal elements of facilitating extremists under the guise of politics, warning that “the status quo will not work anymore.”
Three Choices for Terror Facilitators
Lt Gen Chaudhry issued a stern warning to those sheltering or aiding terrorists: “A person or group that is facilitating Fitna al-Khawarij has three choices — one is to hand over these terrorists to the state, second is to join hands with state institutions in anti-terror operations. If neither happens, they should be ready for action by the state.”
National Action Plan: Partial Implementation and Political Interference
He said Pakistan’s counterterrorism strategy, the National Action Plan (NAP), was not fully implemented. “In 2014, after the APS tragedy, all political parties agreed on NAP, but later some clauses were removed in 2021,” he noted.
“The revised NAP called for implementing all 14 points, including kinetic operations,” he said, displaying data showing more than 40 intelligence-based operations in KP alone.
He questioned, however, whether political unity still existed on the plan’s remaining points, saying, “Are we still united under one narrative against terrorism?”
India’s Role and the Terrorism-Crime Nexus
The DG ISPR accused India of using Afghanistan as an operational base for sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan. He also mentioned a “terrorism-crime nexus” that enjoys local and political backing and benefits from modern weapons supplied to groups in Afghanistan.
Commenting on the repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals, Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan had hosted “Afghan brothers for decades,” but the decision to send them back was based on national security considerations.
“Unfortunately, politics is being done on this issue, and a fake narrative is being created,” he said.
Unconfirmed Airstrikes and Regional Security
When asked about reports of airstrikes in Kabul targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud, Lt Gen Chaudhry neither confirmed nor denied them.
“We are doing—and will continue to do—whatever is necessary for the protection of our civilians’ lives and the territorial integrity of Pakistan,” he said.
