He cited the abandonment of $7.2 billion in U.S. military equipment during the U.S. withdrawal.
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry speaks in an interview. Photo: screenshot
ISLAMABAD:
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Afghan Taliban regime has become a threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region and the world as it continues to facilitate terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, citing the abandonment of $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment during the US withdrawal.
Speaking to senior journalists on security issues in the country on November 25, DG ISPR noted that Pakistan’s position on the Doha Accord was “absolutely clear”, asserting that the Afghan Taliban regime must stop providing support and safe haven to terrorist groups.
He added that Pakistan had shared “irrefutable evidence” with Kabul regarding the presence of terrorist centers, including leaders of Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups, in Afghanistan.
PCI
Sharing operational details, Lt Gen Chaudhry said security forces have carried out 4,910 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) since November 4, 2025, eliminating 206 terrorists.
He observed that this year alone, 67,023 PCIs were carried out across the country – including 12,857 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 53,309 in Balochistan – resulting in the deaths of 1,873 terrorists, of whom 136 were Afghan nationals.
Border management
The military spokesperson said misleading propaganda had been carried out against security institutions regarding border management. He said the Pakistan-Afghanistan border passes through some of the most difficult terrain in the world.
The KP part of the Pak-Afghan border stretches for 1,229 km with 20 crossing points, he said, adding that in many areas the distance between border posts can reach 20-25 km.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said fences alone cannot be fully effective without observation and fire support. He observed that building a security post every 2-5 km and monitoring by drone would incur a “huge cost”.
“Unlike Punjab and Sindh, many villages in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are divided on both sides of the border, restricting movement. [of people] a challenge. Border management in the world is jointly carried out by neighboring countries, but on the other hand, the Afghan Taliban fully facilitates the infiltration of terrorists from Afghanistan to Pakistan. »
The DG ISPR said there would be virtually no border “administration” in terrorism-prone areas, increasing governance challenges. “These border areas have a strong nexus between politics, terrorism and crime, facilitated by the Fitna al Khawarij terrorists.”
He asked if terrorist outfits entered through the border, or illegal smuggling and trading activities took place, who was responsible to stop them inside the country?
“If hundreds of thousands of unpaid vehicles are driving in your province, who is supposed to stop them? These unpaid vehicles are part of the nexus between politics, terrorism and crime and are used in suicide attacks.”
Evidence presented
DG ISPR said Pakistan’s position on the Doha Agreement with Afghanistan is “absolutely clear”. He said Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban regime must stop facilitating terrorists. “Terrorist centers and leaders of Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other terrorist groups are present in Afghanistan.”
He said that these terrorist groups receive arms and funds from Afghanistan, which are then used against Pakistan.
The army spokesperson recalled that Pakistan had presented all the evidence to the Afghan side, which the latter cannot deny. “Pakistan demands that the Taliban regime accept a deal [to combat cross-border terrorism] under a verifiable mechanism,” adding that “if a third party were to implement the verifiable mechanism, Pakistan would have no objection.”
He rejected the Taliban regime’s claim that the terrorists are migratory Pakistani citizens and “guests”, challenging them to hand over any Pakistani national for treatment according to Pakistani law.
Citing a report by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar), he noted that $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment had been left behind during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. “The Afghan regime has become a threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region and the world.”
The Taliban are not representative of the Afghan people
The DG ISPR said the Afghan Taliban had failed to “transform” into a state after 2021 and was now favoring various non-state actors, including those that were “country and region specific”.
He further said that the Afghan Taliban regime does not represent the Afghan people as it does not include all ethnic groups and does not provide representation to 50 percent of Afghan women.
“Our problem is not with the Afghan people but with the Afghan Taliban regime. The suspension of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan is related to our security and protection of lives and property of our citizens,” he said. “Blood and business cannot mix.”
Comments on India
Responding to recent remarks by the Indian Army chief, who called Operation Sindoor a “trailer”, the DG ISPR said his account reflects a delusional mindset. »
“Seven planes were shot down, 26 sites were attacked and the S400 batteries were lost in this ‘trailer’. So, I think now he wants to watch a complete horror film,” he said, adding that India wanted to sell its defeat as a victory to its people.
“Any country that supplies equipment to the Afghan Taliban will put it into practice in the hands of terrorists.”
Foreign-run disinformation networks
DG ISPR also pointed out that there were social media accounts based outside Pakistan that were involved in inciting violence in the country.
He said these accounts were “playing politics in Pakistan and concocting a narrative against the state, against your army, against your leaders.”
Implementation of the PAN and repression of smuggling
The military spokesperson said all political parties and governments agree that the solution to terrorism lies in the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).
He observed that an overall structure has been established in Balochistan with steering, monitoring and implementation committees at district, divisional and provincial levels, adding that similar mechanisms are lacking in KP.
He said that before the crackdown on Iranian diesel smuggling by the Army, FC and provincial government, 20.5 million liters of diesel were being smuggled daily. “This quantity has now been reduced to 2.7 million liters per day. Funds generated from diesel smuggled from Iran are directed to BLA and BYC.”
The DG ISPR further said that due to the implementation of the NAP, all 27 districts of Balochistan, covering 86 percent of the province, are now under the jurisdiction of the police. The provincial government and security forces continually collaborate with local communities, conducting around 140 daily and 4,000 monthly engagements, which have had far-reaching results, he said, emphasizing that without such government measures, terrorism cannot be controlled.
