ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Foreign Office has forcefully rejected a one-sided critique by British Richard Lindsay regarding Pakistan's counterterrorism operations along the Afghanistan border, labeling his comments as disconnected from ground realities and ignoring the systematic targeting of Pakistani civilians by the Afghan Taliban regime.
The exchange marks the latest diplomatic friction as Pakistan continues its campaign against terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, with Islamabad urging the international community to recognize the unprecedented sacrifices Pakistan has made in the fight against terrorism rather than lecturing it on selective narratives.
Lindsay had expressed concerns over violence in Afghanistan's Kunar province, where the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that dozens of civilians were killed or injured on April 27 following Pakistani strikes targeting terrorist hideouts.
Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded by noting that Lindsay's comments were disconnected from the realities of the border region and failed to acknowledge the continuous cross-border attacks being launched from Afghan soil against Pakistani civilians.
The Foreign Office reiterated that Pakistan's counterterrorism operations are directed exclusively at terrorist infrastructure and hideouts - not at civilians - and that the Afghan Taliban regime bears responsibility for allowing its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against Pakistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) released damning figures that expose the true nature of cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan:
| Period | Civilians Martyred | Civilians Injured |
|---|---|---|
| Since Eid ul Fitr (March 26, 2026) | 52 | 84 |
According to MOFA, these casualties are the direct result of:
Cross-border shelling by Afghan Taliban forces
Indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations in Pakistani border districts
Mortar and artillery strikes on residential areas
Drone attacks on civilians, including children playing cricket
Facilitation of Khariji terrorist attacks from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan
The Foreign Office noted that the majority of these casualties occurred after Pakistan's brief pause in operations following Eid ul Fitr - a pause extended in good faith. Rather than reciprocating, the Afghan Taliban regime intensified its attacks on Pakistani civilians, demonstrating that it is not a partner in peace but a participant in terror.
Regarding UNAMA's report of civilian casualties on the Afghan side, Pakistan's Foreign Office dismissed such claims as lacking credibility. The statement noted that:
The Afghan Taliban regime has a documented history of fabricating civilian casualty figures for propaganda purposes
Pakistan's strikes are precisely targeted at terrorist hideouts and infrastructure, not civilian areas
UNAMA's reporting on Afghanistan has repeatedly relied on unverified Taliban-provided figures
The same international bodies that express concern over Afghan civilians have remained silent on the 52 Pakistani civilians martyred by Afghan Taliban shelling
Pakistan's Foreign Office emphasized that one-sided remarks ignoring the root causes of terrorism do not help achieve regional peace or stability.
The root cause is clear: The Afghan Taliban regime continues to harbor terrorist organizations on its soil, including:
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) - Responsible for thousands of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan
Fitna al-Khwarij - Indian-sponsored proxy terrorist networks
Al-Qaeda - The global terrorist organization responsible for 9/11
Other designated terrorist groups that operate with impunity under Taliban protection
Until the Afghan Taliban regime:
Stops harboring terrorists
Prevents cross-border attacks
Takes action against Indian intelligence operatives on its soil
Secures its side of the border
... violence will continue. The responsibility for civilian casualties on both sides lies squarely with the regime in Kabul that has chosen to shelter terrorists rather than govern responsibly.
The Foreign Office reminded the United Kingdom and the international community that Pakistan has made sacrifices in the fight against terrorism that few nations can comprehend:
Over 80,000 Pakistani civilians and security personnel martyred since 9/11
Economic losses exceeding $150 billion
Hosting millions of Afghan refugees for decades
Conducting multiple counterterrorism operations that dismantled Al-Qaeda and TTP networks
Losing over 180 peacekeepers in UN missions worldwide
Despite these sacrifices, Pakistan is often lectured by nations that have contributed little to global counterterrorism while demanding that Pakistan absorb attacks from its borders without response.
The Foreign Office stated plainly: "Pakistan has made unparalleled sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and expects the international community to understand the ground realities, not selective narratives."
The Foreign Office also highlighted the selective nature of international outrage. The same voices that express concern over Afghan civilians:
Remain silent when 52 Pakistani civilians are martyred by Afghan Taliban shelling
Ignore daily cross-border attacks on Pakistani villages
Refuse to condemn the targeting of children playing cricket by Afghan drones
Overlook the systematic demolition of mosques and homes by Taliban forces
Disregard Indian-sponsored terrorism emanating from Afghan soil
This selective approach has only emboldened the Afghan Taliban regime to continue its aggression while enjoying diplomatic cover from international bodies like UNAMA, which have consistently failed to hold Kabul accountable for cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan's Foreign Office outlined what genuine international partnership should look like:
Acknowledgment of ground realities - The Afghan Taliban regime harbors terrorists, and those terrorists attack Pakistan. This is not opinion. It is fact.
Equal application of international law - Civilian casualties on both sides matter. The 52 Pakistani civilians martyred by Afghan Taliban shelling deserve as much international concern as any reported on the Afghan side.
Pressure on the Afghan Taliban regime - The international community must demand that Kabul take concrete action against terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, not merely make promises it has no intention of keeping.
Recognition of Pakistan's sacrifices - Pakistan has borne the brunt of terrorism for two decades. Lecturing it on civilian casualties while ignoring its own civilian losses is hypocrisy.
Consequences for inaction - If the international community cannot persuade the Afghan Taliban regime to stop harboring terrorists, then it should not criticize Pakistan for defending itself.
The current escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border began in late February 2026 when Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq in response to repeated cross-border attacks by Afghan Taliban forces and TTP terrorists operating from Afghan soil.
Key developments since February:
Pakistan has captured territory inside Afghanistan, including the Ghudwana enclave (32 square kilometers)
Afghan Taliban forces have been decisively defeated in multiple engagements
Hundreds of Afghan Taliban fighters have been killed or wounded
Pakistan has established new border posts to prevent infiltration
Afghan Taliban have resorted to targeting civilians after failing on the battlefield
The Foreign Office reiterated that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and its citizens - and will continue to do so, regardless of international criticism that fails to acknowledge the full picture.
Pakistan does not seek conflict with Afghanistan. It seeks peace - genuine, lasting peace that requires the Afghan Taliban regime to fulfill its obligations under international law and previous agreements.
But peace cannot be one-sided. Pakistan cannot be expected to absorb cross-border attacks indefinitely while the Taliban regime provides sanctuary to terrorists and international bodies lecture Islamabad about civilian casualties.
As the Foreign Office stated, one-sided remarks that ignore the root causes of terrorism do not help. The international community must choose: either apply pressure on the Afghan Taliban regime to stop harboring terrorists, or stop criticizing Pakistan for defending itself against those same terrorists.
Pakistan has paid too high a price in blood and treasure to now be lectured by those who have not made similar sacrifices. The martyrs of Pakistan - all 80,000 of them - deserve better.
