Unprovoked Border Firing a Serious Provocation: DPM Ishaq Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday voiced strong concerns over the escalating situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, condemning the unprovoked firing and cross-border raids by the Taliban government. He termed these actions “a serious provocation.”

Speaking firmly on the matter, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that Pakistan would take every necessary step to protect its territory, sovereignty, and citizens from external threats.

“Pakistan’s befitting response and strikes are against Taliban infrastructure and to neutralize Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil. 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,” he stated in a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Dar made it clear that Pakistan’s military actions were defensive in nature, carefully aimed at militant elements without endangering Afghan civilians—unlike the conduct of Taliban forces, which he suggested lacked such restraint.

The Deputy Prime Minister also urged the Taliban government to take concrete action against the terrorist groups operating from its territory, warning that failure to do so would further damage bilateral relations. He reiterated Pakistan’s expectation that the Taliban leadership act decisively against those trying to undermine peace between the two nations.