The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday said 23 Pakistani troops were martyred, and over 200 members of the Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists killed during border clashes over the weekend.
On Saturday night, clashes broke out between the forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan after the latter opened fire on various checkposts along the Pak-Afghan border. In its statement, the military’s media wing said the Afghan Taliban and India-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij had launched the “unprovoked attack” on Pakistan.
“During overnight skirmishes, 23 brave sons of Pakistan embraced shahadat while defending the territorial integrity of our beloved country against this outrageous action, while 29 soldiers injured,” it said, adding “credible intelligence estimates and damage assessment” suggested over 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists had been neutralized with even more injured.
While the ISPR has emphasized the retaliatory nature of its response, Afghanistan claims it was “retaliating” against airstrikes allegedly conducted by Islamabad earlier in the week. Islamabad has yet to either confirm or deny these airstrikes.
In its statement, the military’s media wing said forces had exercised the “right of self-defense,” repulsed the assault from Afghan forces and “inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban forces and affiliated khwarij.” It said forces had conducted precision fires and strikes, as well as physical raids, targeting Taliban camps and posts, terrorist training facilities and support networks.
“All possible measures were taken to avoid collateral damage and to protect civilian lives,” it added.
The ISPR said forces had briefly captured 21 hostile positions on the Afghan side of the border and also rendered inoperative multiple terrorist training camps used to plan and facilitate attacks against Pakistan. “The infrastructural damages to Taliban posts, camps, headquarters and support networks of terrorists are extensive, all along the border and range from tactical to operational depth,” it said. “The armed forces of Pakistan remain ever ready to protect the territorial integrity, life and property of the people of Pakistan. Our resolve to defend Pakistan’s territorial integrity and to defeat those who threaten our security is unwavering,” it added.
The statement emphasized that Pakistan preferred to resolve disputes through dialogue, but would not tolerate the treacherous use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan. “We have noted with concern that this serious provocation has occurred during the visit of the [Afghan] Taliban foreign minister to India, the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the region,” it said. “In the interest of regional peace and security, we call upon the Taliban government to take immediate and verifiable actions to neutralize the terrorist groups, inter alia, Fitna-al-Khawarij, Fitna-al-Hindustan and ISKP/Daesh operating from their territory,” it added.
If Kabul fails to do so, it warned, Islamabad would continue to exercise its right to defend its people by persistently neutralizing terror targets. It urged the interim Afghanistan government to “shun any ill-begotten notions and prioritize well-being, peace, prosperity and development of the Afghan people over irresponsible saber-rattling.” It said the episode had vindicated Pakistan’s longstanding position that the Taliban government is actively facilitating the terrorists.
“If the Taliban government continues to sponsor terrorist outfits, in cohorts with India, for the shortsighted objective of destabilizing the region, the people and the state of Pakistan will not rest until the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is completely eliminated,” it added.
‘Befitting response’
Separately, the Foreign Office issued a statement warning that any further acts of aggression from Afghanistan would provoke an “unwavering and befitting response.”
Reaffirming Pakistan’s preference for a “mutually beneficial relationship” with Afghanistan based on dialogue and diplomacy, it said the government would not hesitate to take all possible measures to safeguard its territory and the lives of its people.
Expressing concern about the “unwarranted aggression by the Afghan Taliban, Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan,” it said Saturday’s clashes were Pakistan exercising its right of self-defense and had resulted in heavy losses for Taliban forces and affiliated kharjis. It said the targeted infrastructure was used to “plan and facilitate” acts of terror.
The Foreign Office also rejected “assertions and insinuations” by acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi—currently on an official visit to India—to divert attention from the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan. During his visit, he had reiterated claims of Afghanistan no longer having any terrorist groups and urged Pakistan to resolve its problems internally.
“By making these baseless assertions, the Taliban regime cannot absolve itself of its responsibilities towards regional peace and stability,” it said. “[The] continued presence of terrorist elements on Afghan soil and the freedom of activities enjoyed by them in Afghanistan are well documented in U.N. Monitoring Team reports,” it added.
Describing the fight against terrorism as a “common cause,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Kabul to honor its commitment of barring the use of its territory for terrorism against other countries and to play its role in achieving peace and stability in the region. “Pakistan has repeatedly shared its concerns related to the presence of Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan operating from the Afghan soil,” it said. “Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against these terrorist elements by the Taliban regime,” it added.
“Pakistan is desirous of a peaceful, stable, friendly, inclusive, regionally connected, and prosperous Afghanistan. Pakistan expects the Taliban regime to act responsibly, honor its commitments, and play a constructive role in achieving the shared objective of rooting out terrorism from its soil,” it said.
Ceasefire plea
In a press conference from Kabul on Sunday, Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged Pakistan to “desist from using force as such actions will have negative consequences.” Claiming “certain elements” within Pakistan’s security establishment were aiming to destabilize Afghanistan, he warned that Kabul had “weapons to respond,” adding efforts were made to resolve the situation.
According to the Reuters news agency, Kabul said it had halted attacks at the request of Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has closed the border crossings at Torkham and Chaman for all kinds of traffic after the clashes.
In separate statement, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have vowed that there would be “no compromise” on Pakistan’s sovereignty.