Pakistan’s CT operations ‘focused on neutralising cross-border threats’ from Afghan soil

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has said Pakistan’s legitimate counter-terrorism operations are not directed against the brotherly people of Afghanistan, and are only meant to neutralise the persistent threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.

“Our actions are in full conformity with the right to self-defence and international humanitarian law,” the envoy said responding to the remarks of representatives of Afghanistan and India, while speaking at the meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan.

Asim said India has always played the role of a spoiler in Afghanistan. He said India must desist from its policy of stoking terrorism inside Pakistan from Afghan soil. “India has long played this dangerous game, we will not allow their sabotage and subversion from Afghan soil to nourish and harm Pakistan,” he added.

Tensions have been rife between Pakistan and Afghanistan for some months now, culminating in the launch of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq by Islamabad on February 27 after unprovoked cross-border firing from Afghan side.

Relations between two neighbouring countries worsened after increased terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which Islamabad says were operated from Afghanistan

Asim also said Afghanistan is a sanctuary for terrorist groups and proxies. As, the ambassador said, terrorism emanating from Afghan soil poses a grave threat not only to its immediate neighbours, but also to the broader region and beyond, undermining regional and international peace and security.

READ MORE: Militants’ hideouts in Afghanistan: Targeted operations based on intelligence information: Tarar

The ambassador warned that the spillover effects of the terrorism nurturing in Afghanistan will not remain confined to Pakistan.

He said Pakistan will not sit idle while suffering from terrorist acts from across the Afghan border, that target our border posts, law enforcement agencies and civilian infrastructure, including public spaces of worship and schools.

“We have confiscated large caches of sophisticated military grade modern equipment left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan during our counter terrorism operations,” he said.

Asim said Pakistan will take all necessary defensive measures for the protection of its citizens, territory and sovereignty. He said our counter terrorism operations will continue for as long as it takes to degrade the combat capabilities of terrorist groups and support infrastructure.

Operation Ghazab lil-Haq

Pakistan has claimed that 583 operatives of the Afghan Taliban regime have been killed and 795 injured so far during the ongoing Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched in response to what it described as terrorism and unprovoked aggression from Afghanistan.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar shared figures related to the counter-attacks carried out by Pakistani forces during the operation.

According to him, the Afghan Taliban have suffered major losses, with 583 personnel killed and more than 795 injured since the start of the operation.

He said Pakistani forces have destroyed 242 check posts of the Afghan Taliban regime and captured 38 additional posts. The minister added that 213 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns of the Afghan Taliban regime have also been destroyed, while 64 locations across Afghanistan have been targeted in airstrikes.

Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched in response to what Pakistan described as unprovoked aggression by the Afghan Taliban on the Pak-Afghan border on the night of Thursday, February 26.

According to the statement, Pakistani forces carried out counter-attacks at several locations inside Afghanistan, targeting military installations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia Province, among other areas, and destroyed multiple checkpoints.

Tarar has also said Pakistan is conducting operations against militant hideouts inside Afghanistan based on accurate intelligence information.

“Pakistan has not targeted any civilian areas in Afghanistan,” he said and emphasised that Pakistan is targeting only the infrastructure of terrorists and their support networks.