Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said joint counterterrorism cooperation and mutual respect are essential for regional peace, following recent deadly border clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to safeguarding its national interests, territorial sovereignty and security,” Zardari said, according to Pakistani media reports.
In a statement issued after the escalation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Zardari accused militants he described as “Khawarij terrorists” operating from Afghan soil and allegedly backed by India of launching attacks on Pakistan. He cited consecutive United Nations Security Council monitoring reports as evidence of the presence of such groups in Afghanistan.
He urged the Taliban to take “credible and verifiable action” against anti-Pakistan militants operating from within Afghanistan, and described what he called “Indian-sponsored terrorism” as the “greatest threat to regional peace and stability.”
“Terrorism is a shared challenge, and its burden cannot be placed solely on any one country,” Zardari said.
The comments came as Taliban and Pakistani military officials traded blame over fresh violence along the disputed Durand Line. On Sunday, Pakistan’s military said it carried out retaliatory strikes against Taliban positions along the border, targeting at least 20 checkpoints. The army also claimed several Taliban fighters surrendered in the Kurram region.
Earlier, the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense said it had launched a “successful retaliatory operation” against Pakistani border positions in response to earlier airstrikes. The operation reportedly ended around midnight on Saturday.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a press conference that 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 30 others wounded during the overnight clashes. He also confirmed the deaths of nine Taliban fighters.
Pakistani officials have not yet commented on the casualty figures claimed by the Taliban.
The recent hostilities follow airstrikes by Pakistani jets on Thursday night, reportedly targeting areas in Kabul and Paktia province. Pakistani media claimed the strikes were aimed at Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), but neither side has confirmed whether he was hit.
The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan has been increasingly volatile in recent months. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harboring TTP fighters, while the Taliban deny any presence of the group inside Afghanistan. However, a UN monitoring group’s report in September said that TTP has at least 6,000 fighters in Afghanistan.
