DG ISPR says Afghan Taliban facilitate cross-border attacks

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said the Taliban regime enabled instability in the region by facilitating terrorists’ cross-border attacks.

A strong nexus of ‘political terror crime’ exists in the areas across the border, the DG ISPR said, addressing senior journalists on November 25, in a video released by the military’s media wing on Friday.

Lt Gen Chaudhry has asserted that Pakistan’s current security challenge lies with the Afghan Taliban regime, not the people of Afghanistan.

The DG ISPR stated that the border fence, which runs along the challenging Pak-Afghan border, “cannot be completely effective unless it is backed by strong observation and fire cover.” He noted that effective border management typically requires joint effort, but an “effective administrative structure is absent in Afghanistan.”

He highlighted Pakistan’s unwavering counter-terrorism efforts, noting that indiscriminate operations have largely dismantled enemy networks.

He presented key operational statistics, including recent intelligence-based operations (IBOs). He said since November 4security forces have conducted 4,910 IBOs, resulting in the elimination of 206 terrorists.

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Giving statistics of this year’s operations, he said a total of 67,023 operations have been carried out this year across the country, including 12,857 operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 53,309 operations in Balochistan and 857 IBOs in rest of Pakistan since January 1.

These operations, he said, have resulted in the killing of 1,873 terrorists this year, including 136 individuals identified as affiliated with Afghanistan.

The military spokesperson also told journalists that overall 4,729 terrorist incidents took place, including 3,357 in KP, 1,346 in Balochistan and 26 in rest of the country.

Border challenges

Lt Gen Chaudhry acknowledged the challenges of managing the 1,229-kilometer border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where posts are sometimes 20 to 25 kilometers apart. He also addressed what he termed as “false propaganda” regarding border management, explaining that complex geographical factors and divided border villages contribute to the difficulty of controlling cross-movement.

The DG ISPR highlighted the crucial link between illicit trade and terrorism funding, pointing to cross-border smuggling and the prevalence of non-custom paid (NCP) vehicles as major challenges.

He asked, “Millions of non-custom paid vehicles are roaming in your province; whose job is it to stop non-custom paid vehicles?”

He asserted that the NCP vehicles are frequently used in terrorist activities, particularly suicide attacks.

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The army officer revealed that the smuggling of diesel from Iran had been identified as a significant financial source for terrorist groups, including the Indian-backed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

Before the crackdown, approximately 20.5 million liters of diesel were smuggled daily.

Following robust action, the quantity has been sharply reduced to 2.7 million liters per day.

Chaudhry noted that security progress in Balochistan, where 27 districts (roughly 86% of the province) has now been brought under police jurisdiction, with security institutions working closely with local communities to restore lasting peace.

Afghan Taliban’s promises and non-state actors

Taking a firm stance, the DG ISPR stated that Pakistan’s position on the Doha Agreement with Afghanistan is very clear. The Afghan Taliban had promised that they would not allow Afghan soil to be used against any country, but they have failed to adhere to their promises. The leadership of Al-Qaeda, ISIS (Daesh), and other terrorist organisations are still present in Afghanistan, and they receive arms and funding from there, which is being used against Pakistan, he said.

According to the Pakistan Army spokesperson, Pakistan also provided concrete evidence to the Afghan Taliban, but this evidence was ignored.

The DG ISPR said that the Afghan Taliban should enter into an agreement under a verifiable mechanism. “If the verifiable mechanism is to be maintained by a third party, Pakistan has no objection,” he said,  noting that third-party countries are fully aware of Pakistan’s position on this matter.

He addressed the claim by the Taliban that the Fitna Al Khawarij terrorists are Pakistani, who are called “migrants” and “our guests.” He challenged this, stating: “If they are Pakistani citizens, hand them over to us; we will deal with them according to our law. What kind of ‘guests’ are these who come to Pakistan armed?”

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He pointed out that, according to the SIGAR report, the US left behind $7.2 billion worth of weapons, making the Afghan regime a threat to the entire region and the world. He added that a state and government should have been established in Afghanistan after 2021, but instead, non-state actors are being fostered, which have become a threat to the entire region.

The Pakistan Army spokesperson stated that the Afghan Taliban regime does not represent all Afghans and does not represent all ethnicities. He highlighted that 50% of the women of Afghanistan have no representation in this regime.

The DG ISPR reiterated: “We have no issue with the Afghan people; our issue is with the Afghan Taliban regime.”

He also stated that the issue of trade is linked to security and the protection of the people. “Bloodshed and trade cannot coexist.”

The DG ISPR stated that all political parties and governments in Pakistan are unanimous on the elimination of terrorism, and the only solution to this issue lies within the National Action Plan (NAP). He mentioned that a comprehensive system has been established in Balochistan in this regard, but its deficiency is felt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

He stated: “For us, there is no good terrorist or bad terrorist. A good terrorist is one who has gone to hell.”

“We are on the side of truth, and the truth always prevails.”

As regards to the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees, the DG ISPR said a total of 366,704 individuals were repatriated in 2024 and 971,604 individuals have been sent back in 2025.

In the current month alone, 239,574 Afghans have been repatriated.