ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said the Afghan Taliban regime has become a threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region and world.
Briefing the media on Saturday, he said that Afghan soil continues to be used by terrorist groups. He said the United States left behind 7.2 billion dollars’ worth of military equipment during its withdrawal, much of which is now in the hands of militants operating from Afghanistan.
He said that since November 4, Pakistan’s security forces have carried out 4,910 intelligence-based operations, eliminating 206 terrorists. In 2025 so far, 67,023 operations have been conducted nationwide, during which 1,873 terrorists, including 136 Afghans, were killed.
According to him, cross-border facilitation by the Afghan Taliban remains the core reason for the escalation in terrorist activity. Despite Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and the commitments made under the Doha Agreement, the Afghan regime continues to offer support and safe havens to anti-Pakistan elements.
Gen Sharif noted that border management remains extremely difficult due to rugged terrain and divided communities along the frontier, while Afghanistan lacks an effective administrative system.
He said Pakistan has demanded a verifiable mechanism to ensure Afghan soil is not used for terrorism and would not object if a third party were involved. He pointed to a strong political–criminal–terror nexus in border regions, highlighting that non-custom-paid vehicles used in smuggling are also deployed in suicide attacks, reflecting internal governance challenges.
He stated that smuggling of Iranian diesel once reached 20.5 million liters per day but has been reduced to 2.7 million liters after recent crackdowns.
Revenue from this illegal trade, he said, directly finances groups such as the BLA and BYC. Responding to remarks by the Indian Army Chief about “Operation Sindoor,” he said such claims reflect self-deception, noting that an operation involving the loss of aircraft, multiple target strikes, and destroyed S-400 batteries could hardly be presented as a “trailer.”
The DG ISPR added that a large number of social media accounts pushing anti-Pakistan narratives operate from abroad and attempt to influence domestic politics and public opinion. He reiterated that political parties and successive governments agree that the National Action Plan remains the only viable framework for counterterrorism.
