ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Pakistani military said Friday that militant groups based in Afghanistan are carrying out terrorist activities against Pakistan, intensifying tensions between the neighboring countries.
In a news conference on Friday, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations, said that despite repeated warnings to the Taliban, militant groups and insurgents continue to use Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan.
“The Pakistani military strongly condemns the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups and their supporters,” General Chaudhry said. “We remain resolute in our determination to eliminate these hideouts and protect the people of Pakistan.”
He said evidence points to the presence of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan, and accused the Taliban of failing to act decisively against militants, including factions linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or T.T.P.
The Taliban, which regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, has denied accusations that the T.T.P. operates from Afghan territory. However, a United Nations monitoring team has estimated that the group maintains a force of roughly 6,000 fighters within Afghanistan.
The remarks come amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan recently urged the Taliban to stop providing support to the T.T.P., calling cross-border attacks “unacceptable.”
“The Taliban’s dual approach to the T.T.P. crosses Pakistan’s red line, and Islamabad will not remain silent,” Mr. Sharif said. He warned that such policies risk damaging bilateral relations.
Adding to the strain, the Pakistani military carried out airstrikes earlier this week in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province, targeting what it described as T.T.P. hideouts. Taliban officials said the strikes hit a district hosting refugees from Pakistan’s Waziristan region, killing 46 people, including women and children, and injuring six others.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, said the airstrikes killed at least 20 children, and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, has called for an investigation into the incident, demanding accountability for those responsible.
The situation highlights the growing security challenges in the region, as Pakistan grapples with rising violence and its uneasy relationship with the Taliban rule in Kabul.
