The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban government that Pakistani military strikes in Afghanistan had caused civilian casualties, maintaining that its counterterrorism operations were proportionate and targeted exclusively at terrorist infrastructure.
The FO described the accusations as “baseless and unsubstantiated”, saying attacks originating from Afghan territory had caused more than 3,500 casualties in Pakistan during 2026.
The statement accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militant groups, including the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and urged the international community to hold Kabul accountable for failing to prevent the use of Afghan soil for cross-border attacks.
Pakistan said its actions were undertaken in self-defence, in accordance with the principles of necessity, distinction and precaution. It reaffirmed its right to take necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and citizens.
A UN Security Council-mandated monitoring report covering December 2025 to June 2026 also linked continued Taliban support for the TTP to an increase in the frequency and severity of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul remain strained over cross-border militancy, with Pakistan repeatedly urging the Afghan authorities to dismantle militant sanctuaries.
