President Zardari asserts Pakistan’s right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism

WEB DESK: President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly defended Pakistan’s recent military operations along the Afghan border, describing them as a legitimate exercise of the country’s inherent right to self-defence in response to persistent cross-border terrorism.

According to PIDE, the statement issued by the President’s Secretariat on February 22, Zardari stressed that the strikes targeted terrorist hideouts after repeated warnings to the de facto authorities in Kabul went unheeded. “Tolerance for such threats has reached its limit,” he asserted.

“Pakistan’s actions are rooted in its right to defend its people against terrorism emanating from across its borders,” the President said, adding that all diplomatic channels had been exhausted before action was taken.

The operations, conducted on intelligence-led airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, reportedly eliminated over 70 militants linked to groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-Khorasan, responsible for a surge in deadly attacks within Pakistan.

President Zardari voiced concern over the continued presence of terrorist elements on Afghan soil, noting that it contravenes commitments under the Doha Accord, under which the Taliban pledged Afghan territory would not be used to launch attacks against other states. He also cited findings from the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team, which documented multiple terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.

President Zardari urges regional cooperation to combat terrorism

Referring to Pakistan’s warning on February 8, President Zardari highlighted that allowing terrorist groups safe haven beyond national borders endangers civilians globally and risks a situation reminiscent of—or worse than that before 11 September 2001.

“Peace cannot rest on denial, duplicity or inaction against terrorism,” the President said, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability while emphasising that the protection of Pakistani lives is “paramount and non-negotiable.”

He warned that those responsible for attacks inside Pakistan “will not remain beyond reach,” reiterating Islamabad’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable and take necessary measures to safeguard its citizens.

The statement has heightened tensions with the Taliban-led administration in Kabul, which condemned the strikes as a breach of Afghan sovereignty. Pakistan maintains its operations were precise, restrained, and focused solely on terrorist infrastructure near the border.

As cross-border militancy continues to strain bilateral relations, President Zardari’s remarks underline Pakistan’s stance that self-defence against terrorism is a fundamental right, while calling on the international community to exert greater pressure on Afghanistan to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries.

Pakistan remains committed to combating terrorism in all forms but stresses that regional security depends on genuine cooperation and the fulfilment of anti-terrorism commitments by all parties.