Pakistan's Foreign Office on Monday rejected claims by Afghanistan's Taliban government that Pakistani counter-terrorism operations caused civilian casualties, describing the allegations as baseless and unsubstantiated.

In a statement issued on 26 October, the ministry said Pakistan retained the right to defend its citizens and security forces against attacks planned and launched from Afghan territory. It said misleading narratives could not obscure the threat from militant networks operating across the border, nor remove Kabul's responsibility to prevent its soil being used for attacks on Pakistan.

A toll Islamabad puts at more than 3,500 in 2026

The Foreign Office said attacks from Afghan territory had caused more than 3,500 casualties in Pakistan in 2026 alone, without providing a breakdown of the figures in the statement. It said thousands of Pakistani civilians had been killed in attacks it maintains were planned, financed and carried out from Afghanistan, and that the Taliban government was allowing such activities to continue.

Islamabad named the groups it refers to as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan, along with their affiliates, among the organisations of concern. The statement also cited reporting by relevant United Nations bodies and monitoring teams concerning the presence of militant organisations in Afghanistan.

Self-defence, and a call to the international community

Pakistan said its responses were taken in self-defence, as a last resort, and in line with necessity and proportionality, directed exclusively against terrorist targets and their logistical support bases. It urged the international community to hold the Taliban government accountable for meeting its obligations under relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions on preventing cross-border terrorism, and said it would continue to take necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Source: The Diplomatic Insight