The Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Thursday that Pakistan carried out an intelligence-based operation in border areas targeting terrorist threats to its citizens. The operation, involving airstrikes conducted on Tuesday night, was described as a necessary measure to ensure the safety and security of Pakistan’s population.
According to the FO, Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies regularly undertake counterterrorism operations in border regions. These actions are carefully planned and based on precise intelligence to neutralize threats effectively. The FO spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to safeguarding its citizens while respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained due to repeated cross-border incidents and Islamabad’s calls for Kabul to address the activities of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The militant group has been accused of using Afghan territory to orchestrate attacks within Pakistan, allegations that Kabul denies.
On Tuesday night, Pakistani fighter jets reportedly targeted four locations in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, believed to house TTP camps. Security officials confirmed that the airstrikes neutralized several suspected terrorists. However, the operation drew a strong response from the Afghan Taliban regime, which protested the incursion, warning Pakistan against violating Afghanistan’s territorial sovereignty.
While reiterating Pakistan’s preference for dialogue in its ties with Afghanistan, the FO underscored the importance of taking decisive action against threats to national security. Baloch reaffirmed that Pakistan’s top priority is the protection of its citizens from terrorist elements, asserting that such operations are essential to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
