Pakistan has conducted precision aerial and drone strikes in 10 locations across Afghanistan in retaliation for drones launched from the neighbouring country a day earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in the early hours of Thursday. “In exercise of its sovereign right to self-defence, Pakistan conducted precision aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan used for launching and storing these drones,” Tarar wrote in a post on social media platform X. He added that the strikes were “deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate, and strictly limited to identified military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan”. 

In the post, Tarar condemned Wednesday’s “deliberate and unlawful” drone incursion, calling it a “blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. He held the drone attacks were a “grave and unacceptable act of aggression”. The information minister said Pakistan had conveyed its concerns to the Afghan Taliban over the terrorist elements emanating from Afghan soil and the presence of terrorist sanctuaries. However, he noted that rather than dismantling the terrorist networks and taking action against them, the Afghan Taliban chose to “escalate the situation through hostile drone operations against Pakistan”. 

He said that in Wednesday’s attack, Pakistan’s air defence systems had “detected, tracked and neutralised all intruding platforms before they could reach any of their intended targets, comprehensively thwarting the attempted attack”. Tarar held that Pakistan will “neither accept nor tolerate” attacks from Afghan territory whether by terrorist groups or the Afghan Taliban regime itself. He warned against violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, vowing that it will be met with “an immediate and decisive response”. The minister further held that: “Any threats, denials or attempts to deflect responsibility by [the] Afghan Taliban will neither alter the facts nor constrain Pakistan’s inherent right to defend its territory, its people and its national security.” 

Tarar, in the post, called upon the regime in Kabul to halt immediately “hostile activity” and abide by international obligations “by taking effective, concrete, verifiable and sustained action against terrorist entities operating from Afghan soil”. The minister warned that the Afghan territory should not be used for attacks against Pakistan. He maintained that Pakistan remained committed to “regional peace, dialogue and constructive engagement” and was not seeking escalation. However, the information minister warned: “This commitment must not be mistaken for weakness or an unlimited tolerance of hostile actions”.

He also vowed that the country will defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the lives of citizens with “full resolve and take all necessary measures to protect them”.Pakistan’s response came after eight drones, launched from Afghanistan, entered Pakistani airspace near the Torkham border and Kohat on Wednesday. Security sources said they were subsequently shot down. It was also reported that the Afghan Taliban engaged in unprovoked firing the night before near Kurram as security forces foiled an attempt by terrorists to cross into Pakistan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)