ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has conveyed to major world capitals and friendly countries that it will no longer tolerate cross-border terrorist attacks from Afghanistan and any future aggression will be met with a swift and decisive response, diplomatic sources told The Express PK Press Club on Tuesday.
Three days after the deadly clashes on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions to Islamabad to brief them on the evolving security situation and Islamabad’s position.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch gave a “comprehensive briefing” to resident ambassadors in Islamabad regarding “recent developments along the Pak-Afghan border”.
“It underlined Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and its unwavering resolve to protect its territorial integrity and national security,” the statement added.
Although the statement did not elaborate further, sources confirmed that the diplomats were briefed on the surge in terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to persuade the Taliban authorities to act decisively against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates.
Instead of cooperating, Afghan forces resorted to unprovoked firing on several Pakistani border posts on the night of October 11, leading to the martyrdom of at least 23 Pakistani soldiers.
Pakistan responded quickly and targeted terrorist hideouts and infrastructure that facilitated cross-border attacks from across the border. Pakistan’s response killed more than 200 Taliban and their affiliated terrorists, according to the statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Foreign Ministry officials told diplomats that Pakistan’s response was specific and only targeted terrorist sanctuaries used to facilitate attacks on Pakistani soil. They also said Islamabad would continue to act in self-defense and protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Following last Saturday’s clashes, Pakistan revised its rules of engagement, stating that any future cross-border attacks would trigger immediate retaliation inside Afghanistan.
In a major political shift, Pakistan also decided to refer to the Kabul administration as the “Afghan regime” rather than the “Afghan interim government”, signaling a downgrade in diplomatic recognition. This change means that Islamabad will now view the Taliban government as imposed rather than representing the will of the Afghan people.
A senior official told The Express PK Press Club that this recalibration is part of a multi-pronged strategy aimed at exerting maximum pressure on the Taliban regime.
“This is the price they have to pay for supporting terrorist groups,” the official said, adding that Kabul should no longer expect concessions from Islamabad.
Once a staunch supporter of the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan no longer supports the leaders in Kabul, the official added.
