Afghan Troops Fire to Facilitate Terrorists: ISPR DG

News Desk 

Rawalpindi: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has alleged that Afghan Taliban forces engage Pakistani border posts with unprovoked fire to facilitate the infiltration of terrorists into Pakistan.

In a detailed briefing to senior journalists on Friday evening, the military spokesperson said Afghan forces often initiate firing to divert attention while militants slip through gaps along the Pak-Afghan border.

“Borders are always mutually guarded by both countries. But on the other side, their posts first engage your posts through fire, and once the exchange begins, they allow terrorists to pass through the gaps,” Lt Gen Chaudhry claimed.

He highlighted that 29 tribes are divided across the Pak-Afghan border, creating complex challenges for monitoring and controlling movement. “If you go to the border of Sindh or Punjab, populations are not divided. Here, the same tribal population is present on both sides. How will you control movement on such a border?” he said.

‘Physical barriers alone cannot stop infiltration’

The ISPR DG stressed that border fencing is insufficient without surveillance and firepower support.

“A fence can be breached within minutes. To counter that, you need forts every few kilometres, continuous drone coverage, and a massive investment in infrastructure and manpower,” he said. “If someone wants to cut an obstacle or build a makeshift bridge, it takes only five minutes.”

Lt Gen Chaudhry also cited “administration issues” inside Pakistan’s border districts, particularly in Khyber. “Go to Tirah, Khyber. You won’t find governance, courts, or administrative departments. Where is the administration?” he remarked.

Weak governance, divided border populations, and what he described as a “political-terror-crime nexus” were among the factors enabling terrorism, smuggling, and illegal cross-border activities, he added.

According to him, local facilitation networks move weapons, vehicles, and engage in illegal trade. “Non-custom-paid vehicles are part of this nexus and are used in vehicle-borne IED attacks,” he said.

Trade vs national security

Commenting on Pakistan’s trade ties with Afghanistan, the ISPR spokesperson said that security considerations would take precedence over economic interests.

“Our problem is not with Afghans but with the Afghan Taliban regime. If trade is halted, it is because blood and business cannot go together. The lives of our citizens are more important,” he said.

Rejecting any distinction between “good” and “bad” militants, he asserted: “In our view, there is only one kind of terrorist — and that is sent to hell.”

1,873 terrorists killed this year; 971,604 Afghans repatriated

Sharing updates on counter-terrorism operations, Lt Gen Chaudhry said 67,023 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted across the country in 2025, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

He said 1,873 terrorists, including 136 Afghan nationals, had been killed in 12,857 IBOs in KP and 53,309 in Balochistan. Since November 4 alone, security forces conducted 4,910 IBOs, averaging 233 operations per day.

Under Pakistan’s repatriation plan, 971,604 Afghan nationals have been sent back in 2025, including 239,574 in November. Another 366,007 individuals were repatriated in 2024.

Balochistan: 949 development projects identified

Discussing the situation in Balochistan, the ISPR DG said Category B areas—home to nearly 86% of the province’s population—had been brought under police jurisdiction.

He said 949 development projects across 35 districts had been identified, including five major dams and 100 small dam initiatives. Of these, 52 projects have been completed.

ISPR slams Indian army chief’s remarks

Lt Gen Chaudhry criticised recent remarks by the Indian army chief, calling them “exaggerated and misleading.”

India’s top military commander had claimed that Pakistan had been shown a “trailer of Operation Sindoor.” Responding, the ISPR DG said: “The trailer he mentioned — with seven planes falling, 26 places attacked, and S-400 batteries destroyed — sounds like he is fond of horror films.”

He said such rhetoric was aimed at misleading the Indian public. “They have to convince their population of a supposed victory, so they make such claims.”