Pakistan's response not directed against Afghan civilians, PM says

Pakistan's retaliatory strikes against terrorist groups in Afghanistan are defensive in nature and do not target civilians, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said.

"Our defensive response is not targeted towards peace loving Afghan civilian population. Unlike Taliban Forces, we are exercising extreme caution in our defensive responses to avoid loss of civilian lives," Dar wrote on X, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the foreign minister, Pakistan's response to the "serious provocation" by the Afghan authorities is aimed " against Taliban infrastructure and to neutralize Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil."

The premier said he hopes the Taliban government “will take concrete measures against terrorist elements and their perpetrators that wish to derail Pak-Afghan relations.”

“Pakistan will take all possible measures to defend its own territory, sovereignty and its people,” he added.

By Khagan Isayev