Pakistan rejects Kabul’s ‘baseless’ civilian casualty claims

Pakistan on Monday rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime that its counterterrorism operations had caused

Pakistan on Monday rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime that its counterterrorism operations had caused civilian casualties, calling the claims baseless and unsubstantiated. Islamabad reaffirmed its right to defend its territory and protect its citizens against terrorist attacks.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said misleading narratives would not conceal the threat posed by terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil. It urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent their territory from being used to plan and launch attacks against Pakistan.

The ministry said terrorist attacks originating from Afghanistan had caused more than 3,500 casualties in Pakistan during 2026 alone. It added that thousands of Pakistani civilians had lost their lives in attacks allegedly planned, financed and supported from Afghan territory.

The FO accused the Afghan Taliban regime of allowing several militant organisations, including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan, to operate from Afghanistan. It warned that these groups continued to pose a serious threat to regional peace and security.

Pakistan maintained that its counterterrorism operations were conducted in self-defence and as a last resort in response to repeated attacks. According to the Foreign Office, the operations targeted terrorists and their logistical support bases in Afghanistan.

The ministry said Pakistan’s response was proportionate to the threats it faced and followed the principles of distinction and precaution. It added that the scale of the operations reflected restraint despite the frequency and severity of attacks against Pakistani civilians and security personnel.

The FO called on the international community to hold the Afghan Taliban regime accountable for meeting its obligations under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. It stressed that Afghan territory must not be used as a launching ground for terrorist activities against neighbouring countries.

Pakistan also reiterated that it reserved the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the security of its citizens.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained over allegations that militant groups use Afghan territory to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistan has reported a sharp increase in cross-border terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. Islamabad also reported its highest monthly number of militant attacks in 12 years in September 2026.

The latest statement follows another exchange of allegations between the two sides. Pakistan recently rejected claims by former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad that it was recruiting Afghan nationals to fight the Taliban government and anti-Pakistan insurgent groups.

Despite several rounds of talks, the two countries have yet to resolve their differences over militant networks operating from Afghan territory. Islamabad continues to demand effective action against groups it holds responsible for attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces.