FILE PHOTO 

By The South Asia Times

 

ISLAMABAD - A senior Pakistani security official said Islamabad’s ongoing cross-border military campaign, dubbed "Operation Ghazab Lil Haq," will continue until Afghanistan’s Taliban provide what he called “verifiable assurances” that militant groups operating from Afghan soil are no longer being supported.

 

Speaking to journalists, the official said the Afghan Taliban “must choose between Pakistan and terrorist groups,” accusing Kabul of harboring factions responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

 

He alleged that the Afghan leadership was acting as a “proxy master” sheltering multiple armed groups and benefiting from a “war economy.”

 

Pakistan has long accused the terrorist group, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it refers to as “Fitna al Khawarij,” of launching cross-border assaults from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. 

 

The official said Pakistan’s operations are limited to “legitimate self-defense targets,” including militant infrastructure and launch pads.

 

He added that more than 180 posts had been destroyed and over 30 captured in areas deemed tactically significant.

 

“We are not attacking random targets,” he said, adding that the duration of the campaign depends on actions taken by the Afghan Taliban regime.

 

The latest escalation follows a surge in cross-border violence that began last week after Afghan-based militants attacked Pakistani border posts.

 

Islamabad says the broader offensive has inflicted heavy losses on militant networks, though casualty figures could not be independently verified.

 

Addressing domestic concerns, the official insisted Pakistan has “no issue with the Afghan people” and denied any intention of regime change in Kabul, describing that as a matter for Afghans themselves.

 

He also accused Afghan and Indian sources of spreading “false propaganda” online, urging media outlets and the public to verify information carefully.

 

On regional tensions, particularly the crisis involving Iran, the official said Pakistan is pursuing a “balanced policy” and seeks stability.

He stressed that Pakistan values its strategic ties with Saudi Arabia and maintains relations with multiple global stakeholders based on “mutual respect and trust.”

 

Responding to nationwide protests linked to events in Iran, he said peaceful demonstrations are a right but violence would not be tolerated.

 

Pakistan’s armed forces, he concluded, remain prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty, adding that any doubts about its resolve would be “settled on the ground.”