Army rebuffs Afghan air strikes claim as 'baseless'

The Pakistan Army on Tuesday vehemently dismissed Kabul's allegations that Islamabad conducted air strikes on Afghan territory, insisting that Islamabad neither carries out covert cross-border operations nor targets civilians.

Speaking to journalists in Rawalpindi, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the accusations levelled by the Afghan Taliban, claiming that Pakistan "bombed" Khost and carried out strikes in Kunar and Paktika, were "baseless and factually incorrect."

"Whenever we carry out an operation, we announce it openly. In October, when we struck inside Afghanistan, we informed everyone," he said.

"Pakistan never targets civilians. Our issue is not with the Afghan people but with terrorism. Blood and trade cannot continue together, it cannot happen that we face attacks and still carry on as usual."

Earlier, the Afghan regime spokesperson claimed Pakistan conducted airstrikes in three provinces, killing civilians.

The claims and counter claims came amid strained ties between Pakistan and the Taliban regime. Pakistan has said its patience has finally run out as Kabul failed to rein in terrorist groups including outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

On border management, the DG ISPR said, the army and Frontier Corps were effectively securing the frontier. He referred to conversations held in Doha and Istanbul where Afghan interlocutors had, at times, threatened to allow "6,000 TTP terrorists to enter Pakistan." He accused Afghan authorities and militants of pushing anti-Pakistan narratives, including talk of a so-called "Greater Pashtunistan", and warned that senior Afghan officials themselves had issued statements signalling intentions to attack Pakistan.

The DG ISPR highlighted the growing threat posed by US-made weapons left behind after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"American weapons were recovered even in the Mianwali terror attack," he said. "These missiles and arms have become a threat to the whole world."

He said militants were using US weapons and bulletproof vehicles purchased through narcotics money, and such arms had been used in 29 terror incidents inside Pakistan.

Giving a breakdown of counterterrorism actions, Lt Gen Chaudhry said 67,000 operations had been conducted since January, 1,387 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 3,485 in Balochistan. While Balochistan remained the most active front, Punjab and the K-P also saw sustained action.

These operations resulted in 210 militants killed, but came with heavy losses for Pakistan.

"This year, 607 security personnel have been martyred," he said. "In November alone, 4,910 operations were carried out during which 57 soldiers of the army and FC embraced martyrdom including 22 from the army."

Civilian casualties included 14 people, while 11 of the martyrs were from the Frontier Corps.

The DG ISPR said Pakistan had tightened border controls, curbing smuggling even for those previously holding permits. He noted that the army and Balochistan government had sharply reduced diesel smuggling from Iran, cutting it by Rs20.2 billion.

"Stopping smuggling is primarily the responsibility of the provincial government, but we are supporting them fully," he added. Reiterating Islamabad's resolve, he said Pakistan would continue fighting terrorism with national unity.

"The war against terrorism has to be won by the army and the people of Pakistan. Whatever the nature of this war, Pakistan will prevail."

Separately, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar revealed that the suicide bomber who attacked Islamabad's district courts in Sector G-11 on November 11 was an Afghan national. He said the attack was planned in Afghanistan under the supervision of TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud.

Addressing a press conference, Tarar said the bomber had been identified as Usman Shinwari, a resident of Nangarhar, Afghanistan.

According to the minister, militants had planned major attacks in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but the bomber failed to reach any high-security area and targeted the first available location on the city's outskirts.

He said that within 48 hours, the Intelligence Bureau and Counter Terrorism Department arrested four suspects involved in the plot—Sajidullah alias Sheena, Kamran Khan, Muhammad Zali, and Shah Munir.

A purported confessional statement of Sajidullah alias Sheena — declared the key handler — was also shown during the briefing.

Tarar said Sajidullah had joined the Afghan Taliban in 2015 and received training at multiple camps inside Afghanistan. He allegedly transported the bomber and the suicide jacket.

The minister claimed that the entire operation was planned in Afghanistan by TTP emir Noor Wali Mehsud, acting through his commander Dadullah, who is also present in Afghanistan.