Pakistan’s government has announced its readiness to conduct additional airstrikes within Afghanistan if necessary to target Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts. The statement comes after Pakistan justified its recent airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stated that Pakistan reserves the right to continue such operations if its security is threatened by groups operating from Afghan soil.
On December 24, Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika resulted in the deaths of 46 individuals, including women and children, leading to international criticism and strong condemnation from Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government. The airstrikes, targeting the Barmal district, marked the second instance of Pakistani strikes on Afghan territory in 2024, following a similar operation in March that killed eight individuals.
Sanaullah’s remarks coincide with Pakistan’s intensified counter-terrorism operations against TTP and other groups. Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of providing refuge to insurgents targeting its territory. In response, Taliban leaders have issued statements warning Pakistan of consequences.
Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and warned of escalating conflict if such actions persist. Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, addressing a gathering, warned Pakistan not to provoke retaliation, referencing fighters in Afghanistan’s ranks.
Pakistan maintains that the airstrikes were prompted by Afghanistan’s failure to address TTP activities, which Islamabad alleges are supported by the Taliban government.
The TTP, meanwhile, has announced an expansion of its targeted operations against Pakistan. In a statement, the group outlined plans to attack military-linked business entities, accusing the Pakistan Army of exploiting business ventures.
The TTP has issued warnings to companies and individuals associated with military-run businesses, giving them deadlines to disassociate. These include entities in logistics, banking, cement, fertilizer, and housing sectors. The group has also warned shops and transportation vehicles to cease dealing with products tied to military-led businesses, threatening destruction for non-compliance.
The group has further cautioned political parties, including the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, against labeling them as “fitna al khawarij,” warning of retaliation if such terminology continues.
This development adds to the already strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, raising concerns about further instability in the region.
-IANS