Pakistan on Thursday strongly rejected a recent Amnesty International report alleging civilian harm during its military strikes in Afghanistan, describing the findings as unsupported by credible evidence and arguing that the report failed to address the root cause of terrorism threatening regional security.
At the Foreign Office’s weekly media briefing, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations were conducted in accordance with international law and exercised solely under the country’s inherent right to self-defence against cross-border terrorist attacks.
He said the report overlooked what Pakistan has repeatedly described as the continued presence of terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, where groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and allied organisations allegedly operate and launch attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan says Amnesty ignored cross-border terrorism
Rejecting the report’s conclusions, Andrabi said Pakistan had consistently raised concerns with the Afghan Taliban over the use of Afghan territory by terrorist organisations targeting Pakistan.
He said thousands of Pakistani civilians and security personnel had been killed in attacks linked to groups operating from across the border, adding that Pakistan’s military operations specifically targeted terrorist infrastructure, including hideouts, training camps and logistical networks.
According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan’s armed forces conduct counterterrorism operations while observing the internationally recognised principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution aimed at minimising civilian harm.
Pakistan urges Amnesty to examine Taliban’s alleged support for terrorist groups
Calling for what he described as a balanced assessment of the security situation, Andrabi urged Amnesty International to investigate the Afghan Taliban’s support and protection of terrorist organisations operating from Afghan territory.
He said greater international scrutiny should focus on whether the Taliban administration is meeting its commitments under the Doha Agreement and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly obligations to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terrorist attacks against neighbouring countries.
“The root cause of the security challenge cannot be ignored,” Andrabi said, adding that any assessment of regional stability must consider the continued cross-border threat faced by Pakistan.
Pakistan reiterates right to self-defence
The Foreign Office maintained that Pakistan’s military actions were undertaken solely to neutralise terrorist threats and protect its citizens from attacks originating across the border.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the interim Afghan authorities to take effective action against terrorist groups that Islamabad says are using Afghan territory as operational sanctuaries.
Pakistan says sovereignty remains a “red line”
Responding to questions from journalists, Andrabi said Pakistan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests were non-negotiable.
He stressed that any attack on Pakistan’s interests, whether on land or at sea, would be regarded as an attack on the state and would receive an appropriate response.
