Showing no regards for international pacts and bilateral relations, the Afghan Taliban regime has violated all commitments and pledges made under the Doha Agreement, signed on February 29, 2020, in Qatar.
Under the agreement, the Afghan Taliban had pledged that Afghan territory would not be used by any terror group or individual to threaten the security of other countries, including Pakistan.
However, the security and diplomatic experts reiterated that the Afghan Taliban regime have failed to dismantle terrorist training camps and prevent militant groups from operating inside Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban had committed not to allow their fugitive members, including Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh, or any other terrorist organizations to use Afghan soil for cross-border terrorism.
The experts claimed that instead of curbing such nefarious activities, terrorist networks have regrouped in Afghanistan under the nose of Afghan Taliban and intensified attacks against Pakistan.
Former ambassador Manzoorul Haq termed the repeated violations of the Doha agreement a serious breach of international obligations, stating that Pakistan has all the right to take defensive measures for security of its people in response to cross-border terrorism.
He said no sovereign country can allow that its people and security forces should be targeted by terrorists and suicide bombers.
Following the hasty withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021 and the collapse of the government of Ashraf Ghani, he said Pakistani officials contend that militant and terrorist groups found space to reorganize and strengthen their networks in Afghanistan.
He maintained that terrorism-related incidents and suicide attacks planned from Afghan territory have increased, posing significant security challenges for Pakistan.
Despite diplomatic engagements, including talks held in Istanbul, he said that Kabul has not provided written assurances guaranteeing that Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan.
In response to unprovoked cross-border aggression by Afghan Taliban, Pakistan was left with no option but to launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in self defense following persistent terror attacks.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that Pakistani security forces had killed 297 Afghan Taliban combatants, destroyed 89 posts, and captured 18 during the operation.
He added that over 450 Afghan operatives were injured, while approximately 135 tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed till 11 pm last night. According to the minister, 29 locations across Afghanistan were targeted through air defensive operations.
Meanwhile, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said the Afghan Taliban must choose between cooperation with Pakistan or alignment with terrorist organizations.
On Friday, he categorically stated that Afghan Taliban elements had carried out unprovoked attacks and raids at 53 locations along the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all of which were repulsed by Pakistani forces.
He emphasized that military targets across the border were selected on the basis of intelligence and that precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties.
According to the ISPR chief, targeted sites included corps, brigade and battalion headquarters, sector headquarters, ammunition depots, logistics bases, and facilities used to shelter militants and terrorists.
He also rejected claims circulating in Afghan media regarding civilian casualties, asserting that no civilian infrastructure was targeted.
The DG ISPR confirmed that 12 Pakistani soldiers were martyred, 27 were injured, and one was reported missing in action during the clashes.
Professor Dr AH Hilali, former Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, said that the continued violation of the Doha Agreement reflects longstanding concerns regarding the Afghan Taliban’s adherence to international commitments and obligations.
He warned that policies perceived as tolerating militant activity could pose serious threats to regional peace and stability.
According to him, lasting peace in the region would require decisive action against terrorist networks and the dismantling of militant infrastructure within Afghanistan.
Despite hosting over four million Afghan refugees for over 47 years, the Afghan Taliban regime was playing the role of master proxy to carry forward the anti-Pakistan’s agenda of the foe countries.
Security experts maintain that sustainable regional stability depends on concrete counterterrorism measures and mutual cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
The people of Pakistan are standing shoulder to shoulder with its security forces and are ready to give every sacrifice for defense of the motherland.