By Zahid Shah 

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has rejected recent claims by the Afghan Taliban, issuing a strong rebuttal to what it described as a coordinated disinformation campaign.

Officials accused the group of fabricating reports about the removal of border fencing and alleged that such narratives are being amplified through collaboration with India’s intelligence networks.

In a detailed fact-check issued Wednesday, Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dismantled a series of "fake claims" circulated by Taliban-affiliated outlets, asserting that the 2,640-kilometer border fence remains "fully intact" despite enemy propaganda to the contrary.

"Multiple fake claims by Afghan Taliban regime and Indian RAW mouthpieces, regarding removal of barbed wire along Pak-Afghan border, are fabricated and devoid of facts," the ministry declared.

The ministry underscored the immense challenge Pakistan faces in securing its western frontier, a rugged, mountainous expanse spanning over 2,640 kilometers that Islamabad says it guards virtually alone.

"The Taliban regime works hand in glove with terrorists, smugglers and criminal mafia to infiltrate," the statement read, adding that the complex dynamics of the border have been explained multiple times by security officials, including during a press conference by the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on November 29, 2025.

Pakistan has long maintained that it bears the overwhelming burden of border security while the Afghan Taliban, which controls Kabul, turns a blind eye to cross-border militant activity.

According to the ministry, Taliban-affiliated outlets have been circulating video clips allegedly showing the removal of sections of the border fence. These clips, officials say, are carefully staged propaganda.

"All the clips being uploaded by Taliban regime outlets are created content, dated and in line with Kharjis/Taliban propaganda tactics of appearing for few minutes to record content and then run away," the statement said.

"Such content creation only confirms not only the cowardly nature of these Kharjis and Taliban but also how they live in a make-believe world of propaganda and deceit."

Pakistani officials emphasized that the border fence remains fully intact and that any attempted breaches are met with "heavy and disproportionate response there and then."

- A Pattern of Frivolous Claims

The ministry's fact-check also cataloged a series of previous Taliban propaganda narratives that Islamabad has dismissed as fabrications:

Earlier this month, Taliban-affiliated social media accounts claimed that Afghan forces had shot down a Pakistani fighter jet and captured its pilot. Videos allegedly showing a captured pilot in a traditional shalwar qameez circulated widely before being debunked by Pakistani military sources.

"The Afghan Taliban Regime and their Indian masters are internationally known for frivolous claims; ranging from capture of a Pakistani tank, to supposed successful drone strikes, and even capture of a Pakistani pilot in shalwar qameez, exposing their absolute lack of credibility," the ministry said.

The statement was unequivocal: "Any claims by the Afghan Taliban or their media cannot be trusted."

Another propaganda narrative alleged that Pakistani airstrikes had targeted and destroyed a drug addict rehabilitation center, killing civilians. However, medical sources on the ground reported that the fire at the facility was set by "some known people" approximately 30 minutes after Pakistani bombs struck a Taliban military installation in Kabul.

Officials say the timing discrepancy, with the blaze occurring nearly half an hour after the airstrike, completely undermines claims that Pakistani operations were responsible for civilian casualties at the facility.

The propaganda offensive, according to Islamabad, stems from Taliban frustration over Pakistani military gains in ongoing border operations.

"Frustrated by destruction of more than 250 border posts, along with capture of dozens of posts by Pakistan's LEAs in precise and targeted operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, the Afghan Taliban Regime has resorted to a familiar litany of lies to satisfy their domestic audience," the ministry stated.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has previously reported that 663 Afghan Taliban operatives have been killed and more than 887 injured in the ongoing campaign. Pakistani airstrikes have targeted dozens of locations across Afghanistan, destroying 192 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery guns belonging to Taliban forces.

Pakistan maintains that its operations target Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups it accuses of operating from Afghan territory—a charge the Taliban regime in Kabul denies.

- India's Role

A recurring theme in Pakistan's fact-check was the alleged role of Indian intelligence in amplifying Taliban propaganda. The ministry repeatedly referenced "Indian RAW mouthpieces" as collaborators in spreading disinformation.

The statement reflects longstanding Pakistani concerns that India, which maintains a technical mission in Kabul but has no formal diplomatic ties with the Taliban regime, seeks to destabilize Pakistan by leveraging its western border. New Delhi has not responded to the allegations.

The Ministry of Information concluded its fact-check with a defiant and unyielding message:

"Truth always triumphs over falsehood."

 For global readers watching the conflict unfold, Pakistan's message is clear: the Taliban's claims cannot be trusted, the border fence remains standing, and Islamabad will continue to defend its territory, both on the ground and in the information space.