ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has defended precision airstrikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, stating that the strikes targeted hideouts of terrorist masterminds responsible for a series of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while avoiding comment on a UNAMA report claiming 13 civilian deaths .
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Andrabi stated: "We acted on credible intelligence. There was selective targeting of camps and hideouts. Safety and security of our people remains our priority" .
When asked about the UNAMA report, the spokesperson emphasized that the strikes were conducted on the hideouts of terrorist masterminds responsible for recent attacks inside Pakistan: "We had strikes for maintaining peace and stability in the region but at the same time safety and security of our citizens remain of our top priority" .
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reported that 13 civilians, including children and women, were killed and 10 others injured in the Tuesday night strikes in Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces in eastern Afghanistan .
However, Pakistan's position is that these claims lack credibility and fail to account for a critical factor: Indian-sponsored terrorist networks are deliberately using Afghan civilians and their families as human shields .
| Factor | Pakistan's Position |
|---|---|
| Targeting | Selective targeting of terrorist camps and hideouts, not civilian areas |
| Intelligence | Credible intelligence confirmed terrorist presence at targeted locations |
| Civilian casualties | If confirmed, result of terrorists embedding among civilians (human shield doctrine) |
| Responsibility | Afghan Taliban regime and Indian-sponsored terrorists bear responsibility |
Pakistan has consistently highlighted that Indian-sponsored terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Fitna al-Khwarij, have a long-established pattern of embedding weapons, fighters, and militant infrastructure inside populated civilian areas.
Tactics used by Indian-sponsored terrorists:
| Tactic | Description |
|---|---|
| Weapons storage | Ammunition depots placed near homes, mosques, schools |
| Fighter positioning | Combatants operating from residential areas |
| Command centers | Military coordination from public facilities |
| Family presence | Terrorist commanders keep families on-site as human shields |
| Exploitation | Resulting casualties used for propaganda warfare |
When Pakistan conducts precision strikes on terrorist hideouts, the terrorists deliberately place their own families and neighboring civilians in harm's way - then exploit the resulting casualties for propaganda purposes .
The airstrikes were a direct response to a series of terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhva that have killed and injured dozens of Pakistani civilians and security personnel in recent days.
Recent terrorist attacks emanating from Afghan soil:
| Attack | Date | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| Bannu police station suicide bombing | May 9, 2026 | 14 police officers martyred |
| Lakki Marwat market blast | May 12, 2026 | 9 civilians martyred, 42 injured |
| Bridge destruction in Bannu | May 11, 2026 | Half a million residents isolated |
| Attempted suicide attack in Attock | May 11, 2026 | Civilian martyr Liaqat stopped bomber |
All these attacks were planned and directed from terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, under the protection of the Afghan Taliban regime and with funding and guidance from India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
The Taliban regime and Indian-backed terrorist networks have repeatedly been documented using civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
Recent examples:
The Omid Drug Rehabilitation Hospital in Kabul, struck on March 16, 2026, was located inside the former Camp Phoenix military compound, within 200 meters of ammunition storage infrastructure. Pakistan has consistently maintained that the site was being used by terrorists and that secondary explosions confirmed the presence of ammunition .
On May 2, 2026, Afghanistan Green Trend, led by former Vice President Amrullah Saleh, exposed Taliban relocation of approximately 23 containers of ammunition and weapons into Bagh-e-Qazi near a civilian flour market in Kabul .
The Taliban's systematic integration of military infrastructure into populated areas makes distinguishing between civilian and military targets nearly impossible.
When UNAMA reports civilian casualties without acknowledging this context, it becomes complicit in the terrorists' human shield strategy .
UNAMA's reporting consistently downplays several critical facts:
| Fact | UNAMA's Omission |
|---|---|
| Cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan killed 1,957 Pakistanis in 2025 | Not mentioned |
| Terrorist groups operate from Afghan soil under Taliban protection | Downplayed |
| Indian-sponsored networks (TTP, Fitna al-Khwarij) are responsible | Ignored |
| Taliban embeds military infrastructure in civilian areas | Deliberately avoided |
| Secondary explosions at targeted sites confirm ammunition storage | Not analyzed |
As Pakistan's Foreign Ministry has consistently noted: "The continued use of Afghan territory by TTP, IMP, and other terrorist groups poses a serious threat to Pakistan's national security" .
UNAMA's reporting is produced inside a fully Taliban-controlled environment where:
Information flow is tightly managed by Taliban authorities
Witness access is granted or denied at Taliban discretion
Movement permissions require Taliban approval
Local institutions operate under direct Taliban influence
Under such conditions, claims of "independent verification" become deeply questionable. UNAMA staff's survival depends heavily on keeping the Taliban regime happy - a fundamental conflict of interest that undermines the credibility of any reporting that might criticize the regime .
Pakistan is a responsible state. All kinetic operations were directed towards:
Terrorist infrastructure
Hideouts of attack masterminds
Drone storage and technical support facilities
Ammunition storage sites used against Pakistani civilians
Pakistan has consistently:
Provided advance warnings when possible
Targeted only military/terrorist infrastructure
Acted in self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter
The visible secondary explosions at targeted sites - which UNAMA's own imagery sometimes shows - confirm the presence of ammunition and ordnance, validating Pakistan's targeting decisions .
The intensification of terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure and soft targets correlates directly with India's frustration following its military defeat in the May 2025 war.
India's calculus is simple:
| India's Military Failure | India's Proxy Response |
|---|---|
| 8 Indian aircraft shot down (4 Rafales) | Increased funding to TTP/IMP |
| S-400 neutralized | Weaponization of Fitna al-Khwarij networks |
| India forced to beg for ceasefire | Cross-border attacks from Afghan soil |
| Diplomatic isolation | Targeting of civilian infrastructure |
Unable to confront Pakistan's armed forces directly, India has intensified its proxy war through TTP and IMP networks, now targeting bridges, markets, schools, and police posts .
The TTP, IMP, and Fitna al-Khwarij networks responsible for cross-border attacks operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan, under the direct protection of the Afghan Taliban regime .
Pakistan has repeatedly presented evidence to the Afghan Taliban regime, calling for action against these terrorist networks. The regime has consistently failed to honor its commitments under the Doha Agreement and subsequent bilateral understandings.
As the Foreign Office has stated: "The continued use of Afghan territory by TTP, IMP, and other terrorist groups poses a serious threat to Pakistan's national security" .
The same international media outlets that amplify UNAMA's casualty figures have largely ignored:
The 1,957 Pakistanis martyred and 3,603 injured by cross-border terrorism in 2025
The Taliban's systematic use of civilian human shields
India's documented sponsorship of TTP and Fitna al-Khwarij networks
The Afghan Taliban regime's refusal to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries
This selective reporting creates a distorted moral framework where Pakistani victims of terrorism are invisible, while Afghan civilian casualties - even when caused by terrorists embedding among civilians - are amplified .
Pakistan's security forces remain committed to defending the nation's sovereignty and protecting its citizens. The airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan will continue as long as the Afghan Taliban regime refuses to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on its soil.
Pakistan's message is clear:
The nation will not tolerate cross-border terrorism
Terrorist hideouts will be targeted regardless of location
Indian-sponsored proxies will be hunted down
The safety of Pakistani citizens is non-negotiable
The Afghan Taliban regime and its Indian backers cannot hide behind civilian casualties. If they choose to embed military infrastructure among civilians, they - not Pakistan - bear responsibility for the consequences.
