On Friday, Pakistan’s army pointed to Afghan soil as the source of terrorist attacks in the country, accusing Afghan-based militant groups of receiving “sanctuaries, support, and freedom” to carry out attacks without restrictions. Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the chief military spokesperson, emphasized in a press conference that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to dismantle terrorist networks and safeguard its citizens.
Chaudhry stressed that Pakistan’s leadership has clear concerns over the safe havens and unimpeded operations of banned organizations within Afghanistan. The military spokesperson pointed out that for the first time, there is a comprehensive policy regarding Afghanistan and warned that the status quo was no longer acceptable. Afghanistan must choose better bilateral relations with Pakistan, he said, rather than allowing terrorism to fester.
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This statement comes amidst rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with recent intelligence operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In response to Afghanistan’s formal protest over a Pakistani operation, Chaudhry affirmed that Pakistan would continue taking strong actions to ensure its security.
Chaudhry also addressed criticisms from former Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding Pakistan’s policy on Afghanistan. He reminded the public that Pakistan had been engaging directly with the Afghan government to prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorism, noting that past decisions had led to increased instability.
In addition to security concerns, the military spokesperson discussed Pakistan’s ongoing efforts against domestic terrorism, highlighting 59,775 successful intelligence-based operations this year, resulting in the deaths of 925 terrorists. Chaudhry also spoke on the troubling situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where local governance issues have exacerbated security challenges. The army’s accountability system was also defended, including the trial of former ISI chief Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed.
The press conference reinforced Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining security, confronting terrorism, and navigating complex geopolitical relations, particularly with India, which has continued ceasefire violations along Pakistan’s eastern border.
