Pakistan has announced that it executed precision aerial and drone strikes on ten sites located in Afghanistan in direct response to an attempted drone attack that occurred on September 23. According to Information Minister Atauallah Tarar, the operation followed the successful interception of eight drones that had allegedly entered Pakistani airspace from Afghanistan. The strikes, he stated, were aimed at military positions believed to be directly involved in launching attacks against Pakistan.

In his official statement, Tarar described the operation as “deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate,” asserting that it was strictly confined to identified military objectives linked to the drone incursions. He emphasized that this action was taken in line with Pakistan’s sovereign right to self-defence, aiming to target facilities used for storing and launching the unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Minister condemned the drone attacks as a flagrant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and insisted on the country’s indomitable right to respond to such challenges. Tarar expressed that any incursions from Afghan territory, be it from terrorist groups or the Afghan Taliban, would elicit an immediate and firm counter-response.

Pakistan’s Stance on Afghan Relations

Tarar further conveyed Pakistan’s longstanding grievances regarding the presence of terrorist sanctuaries and support networks on Afghan soil. He accused the Afghan Taliban regime of failing to dismantle these networks despite repeated appeals and believes that such negligence has led to increased hostilities, including recent attempts to conduct drone operations against Pakistan.

He firmly stated that the country does not seek escalation but insists upon a commitment to regional peace and constructive dialogue. However, he warned that this commitment should not be interpreted as weakness. Any further provocations from the Afghan Taliban would meet with a robust response to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and civilian lives.

Recent events have further strained relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, particularly following assertions that Kabul has not taken adequate action against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militants operating from its territory. Reports indicated that these militants are allegedly using Afghan land for planning attacks against Pakistan, exacerbating already tense interactions.

Response to Recent Attacks

The Pakistan government’s actions reportedly also correlate with a deadly attack that took place in the Police Lines area of Kohat, wherein 23 individuals lost their lives and approximately 100 others sustained injuries. Following this incident, Pakistani security forces conducted clearance operations, resulting in the deaths of eight terrorists connected to the attack.

Tarar underscored that the air defence systems of Pakistan successfully detected and neutralised all eight drones before they could reach their intended targets. He asserted that the aerial attacks were a direct countermeasure to the initial drone incursions and aimed to safeguard the nation’s security interests.

Pakistan’s call to the Afghan Taliban was clear: the regime must cease all hostile activities and comply with its international obligations by undertaking effective and verifiable actions against terrorist entities based on Afghan soil. The statement reiterated that Afghan territory should not be exploited for aggressive actions against Pakistan or any of its citizens.

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