Key Points
- Officials say precision strikes hit TTP hideouts, not civilian sites
- Islamabad cites Article 51 of the UN Charter to justify action
- UN reports highlight Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP)’s operational space inside Afghanistan
- Pakistan calls for verifiable dismantling of militant safe havens
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security officials have firmly rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban that recent cross-border strikes targeted civilians, stating that the operations were precise, intelligence-based actions against terrorist infrastructure threatening Pakistan’s national security.
The response came after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of attacking civilian areas following retaliatory strikes against militant hideouts inside Afghanistan. Pakistani officials described the allegations as an attempt to deflect attention from the presence and activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from Afghan territory.
Officials said Pakistan had consistently raised concerns with Kabul over terrorist sanctuaries across the border and shared actionable evidence of TTP networks functioning with relative freedom. They maintained that diplomatic channels, intelligence coordination mechanisms and formal warnings were pursued extensively before any kinetic action was undertaken.
Pakistan’s security officials pointed to the February 2020 Doha Agreement, under which the Afghan Taliban had committed to preventing Afghan soil from being used against other countries. Islamabad argues that continued TTP activity contradicts those assurances and undermines regional stability.
Citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, officials said Pakistan exercised its inherent right to self-defence after repeated cross-border attacks by non-state actors. International counterterror norms recognise the right of states to respond when armed groups operate from foreign territory and host authorities fail to take effective action.
Security officials also referred to findings by the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team, which have documented increased operational space for TTP elements inside Afghanistan. These reports, they said, contradict public denials by the Taliban regarding the group’s presence.
According to Pakistani authorities, militant infrastructure has deliberately been embedded within civilian areas. They alleged that whenever such facilities are targeted, immediate claims of civilian casualties surface without transparent or independent verification. In some cases, they said, compounds described as mosques or seminaries were in fact training centres and operational hubs where militants sought to shield themselves from counterterror operations.
Officials maintained that the targets engaged were carefully identified through credible intelligence and that the operations were conducted with precision to minimise collateral damage. Several key TTP commanders and dozens of militants are reported to have been eliminated in what Pakistan described as surgical strikes.
Islamabad emphasised that sustainable de-escalation and durable peace depend not on rhetorical exchanges but on verifiable dismantling of TTP safe havens and structured, transparent cross-border security coordination. Pakistani officials said the responsibility ultimately rests with the Afghan Taliban to uphold their international commitments and prevent their territory from being used against neighbouring states.
They warned that providing sanctuary or tolerance to terrorist networks constitutes a violation of international law and poses serious risks to regional peace and stability.
