ISPR rejects claims of Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has dismissed claims suggesting that Pakistan carried out attacks inside Afghanistan, saying the country’s policy is strictly against terrorism and not directed at the Afghan people.

The clarification comes after Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid claimed that Pakistan conducted air strikes in Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces.

In an interaction with senior journalists, the DG ISPR said that Pakistan has held multiple rounds of talks with Afghan authorities, but “no meaningful outcome” has emerged so far.

“Our only demand is the elimination of terrorists,” he said, adding that groups operating from Afghan soil continue to target Pakistan.

Lt-Gen Sharif Chaudhry said that militants are using American weapons left behind in Afghanistan, and cross-border attacks are a persistent concern for Pakistan’s security agencies.

Commenting on reports circulating online regarding strikes inside Afghanistan, he categorically stated that Pakistan had not carried out any such attack, calling the claims “incorrect and misleading.”

He reiterated that Pakistan seeks stability in the region and has no hostility toward the Afghan population. “Our issue is solely with terrorists, not with the people of Afghanistan,” he said, stressing that Kabul must ensure its soil is not used against Pakistan.

Responding to a question about the court martial of former senior intelligence official Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, the DG ISPR said the matter is purely legal and judicial. He urged media and commentators to avoid speculation.

Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have increased over cross-border militancy, with Pakistan repeatedly urging the Afghan interim government to take action against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

In recent months, both sides have engaged in dialogue, including talks in Istanbul mediated by Turkey and Qatar, but Pakistani officials said the discussions produced “no concrete assurances.” Pakistan has also proposed a joint monitoring and verification mechanism to track militant activity originating from Afghan territory.

In December 2024, Afghan authorities made similar claims of airstrikes, while Pakistan maintained it targeted militant hideouts along the border. Diplomatic contact continues, but tensions remain high amid repeated cross-border incidents.