“Pakistan committed to security of its people”: Foreign Ministry defends airstrikes in Afghanistan

Following airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Barmal district of Paktika province, which left 46 dead and six injured, Pakistan defended its counter-terrorism operations, and emphasised its commitment to protecting its citizens from threats like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), The Express Tribune reported. The PakistForeign Office spokesperson further reaffirmed respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, stressing that operations are intelligence-based, with civilian safety as a priority,

During a weekly news briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “Pakistan is committed to the security of its people. Our security and law-enforcement personnel conduct operations in the border areas to protect the people of Pakistan from terror groups, including TTP. These operations are carefully selected and are based on authentic and concrete intelligence. We respect the sovereignty of Afghanistan,” The Express Tribune reported.

She added, “I would like to again underline that Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations are carefully selected and are based on authentic and concrete intelligence, and protection of civilians is always a key consideration in any such decision. As I said earlier, Pakistan respects the sovereignty of Afghanistan. We believe that Afghanistan should be able to reclaim its sovereignty and security, and the terror groups that threaten the security of Afghanistan and Pakistan need to be combated by both countries.”

The spokesperson called for collaborative efforts between the two nations to combat terrorism and said that “Pakistan believes in diplomacy and dialogue.”

She said, “Pakistan has been engaged with Afghanistan over the last few days, and our special envoy on Afghanistan, discussed all matters relating to the terror groups, which have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. These matters have been discussed, and we will continue to engage with Afghanistan to resolve any issues that arise. I would like to underline that Pakistan believes in dialogue and diplomacy. We have always prioritised diplomacy in relations with Afghanistan, and we believe that it is critical for both countries to work together to combat this terrorist threat, that is a threat not just for Pakistan, but also for Afghanistan.”Following the airstrikes in Paktika, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan on Wednesday summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.In a post on X on Wednesday, spokesperson of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Hafiz Zia Ahmad wrote, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan summoned the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul to deliver a strong protest note regarding the airstrikes conducted by Pakistani military jet in the Barmal district of Paktika province near the theoretical Durand Line.”