ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani security official on Monday said that “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” would continue until the Afghan Taliban government provides verifiable guarantees that it will stop facilitating militant groups targeting Pakistan.
According to the official, the operation will persist until Kabul halts support for what he described as “Fitna al-Khwarij” and “Fitna al-Hindustan,” alleging that these groups are operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan.
The operation was launched late Thursday following renewed clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces reportedly opened fire on multiple Pakistani positions. Islamabad responded with what it termed swift and proportionate military action.
The official claimed that during the operation, Pakistani forces killed 435 Afghan Taliban combatants, injured over 630, destroyed 188 tanks and armoured vehicles, captured 31 posts, and targeted 51 locations inside Afghanistan through air strikes. More than 180 check posts were also destroyed, and over 30 key locations allegedly used as launch pads by militants were taken under control.
He stated that Pakistan’s actions were limited to terrorist infrastructure and facilitators, asserting that operations were precise and conducted under the right of self-defence. The official added that the duration of the campaign would depend entirely on the Afghan Taliban’s response, stressing that Pakistan was “in no hurry” to conclude the operation.
Islamabad has long accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) of operating from Afghan territory — allegations the Taliban authorities in Kabul have repeatedly denied.
The official rejected suggestions that Pakistan was seeking regime change in Afghanistan, calling it an internal matter for the Afghan people. He also dismissed claims that Pakistan could become the next target in broader regional hostilities, describing such speculation as baseless.
On regional diplomacy, the official said Pakistan was pursuing a balanced policy toward Iran and maintained strong strategic ties with Saudi Arabia. He reiterated that Pakistan remained fully capable of defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The latest escalation follows a year of tit-for-tat actions, including Pakistani air strikes against militant camps in Afghanistan after a series of attacks inside Pakistan. Tensions had previously spiked after explosions in Kabul last October, followed by cross-border shelling and temporary closure of border crossings, which disrupted bilateral trade.
Authorities said the situation remains fluid, with further developments dependent on actions taken by Afghan authorities in the coming days.
