Rawalpindi (TDI): Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that Afghan forces open fire on Pakistani border posts to enable terrorists to infiltrate into Pakistan.
Addressing journalists on November 25, a video of which was released by the ISPR on Friday evening, Lt Gen Chaudhry explained that while borders are normally mutually guarded, in certain areas along the Pak-Afghan frontier, Afghan posts first engage Pakistani positions with gunfire, creating openings for militants to cross undetected.
He highlighted that governance in border regions like Tirah and Khyber is minimal, with courts and law enforcement almost absent, making these areas vulnerable to terror and smuggling networks. The DG ISPR also pointed to the challenge of “divided tribes,” where communities straddle both sides of the border, complicating control over movement.
Lt Gen Chaudhry dismissed claims that the Pak-Afghan border could be “hermetically sealed,” noting the logistical challenges, high costs, and manpower required, even for countries with vast resources like the United States. He stressed that fences alone are insufficient without constant surveillance and armed observation.
The DG ISPR linked the ongoing security threats to the “terror-crime nexus,” citing support from TTP cells within Pakistan that facilitate smuggling and the movement of illegal arms, including vehicle-borne IEDs. He said coordinated attacks often target army and Frontier Corps posts to allow illicit trade and militants to pass through border gaps.
Read More: Ceasefire with Afghan Taliban ‘Not Holding’ Amid Attacks: Pakistan
Referring to recent Pak-Afghan dialogue, Lt Gen Chaudhry maintained Pakistan’s position that TTP presence, funding, and operations on Afghan soil are unacceptable. He said Pakistan presented irrefutable evidence to Afghan officials, who could not deny it. Islamabad is also open to a third-party agreement to establish verifiable mechanisms to curb cross-border terrorism.
The DG ISPR warned that Afghan soil is being used by various militant groups, including TTP, Fitna al Hindustan, ETIM, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al Qaeda, Daesh, and other non-state actors, and criticized the Taliban regime for failing to act as a responsible state.
Lt Gen Chaudhry emphasized that Pakistan’s issue is not with the Afghan people but with the Afghan Taliban administration, recalling commitments made in the 2020 Doha agreement. He also dismissed recent Afghan Taliban claims of Pakistani strikes across the border.
Read More: Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan Condemns Attack Near Afghan Border
Highlighting counter-terrorism efforts, he said 971,604 illegal migrants had been repatriated so far this year, including 239,574 in November alone, compared to 366,704 in all of 2024.
On India, he noted that attempts to portray setbacks as victories are delusional, referencing the May conflict and asserting that any military aid supplied to the Afghan Taliban could end up with terrorists.
Lt Gen Chaudhry also drew attention to social media campaigns based outside Pakistan, aimed at inciting violence and creating anti-state narratives.
Detailing ongoing operations, he said 4,910 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted since November 4, with 206 terrorists killed, and a total of 67,023 IBOs carried out across the country since January. Balochistan recorded the highest number with over 53,000, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 12,800, and the rest of the country around 850. Since January, Pakistan experienced 4,729 terrorist incidents, mostly in KP and Balochistan.
