WNAM REPORT: Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States and former Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, Sardar Masood Khan on Sunday said that Pakistan’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign along the Afghanistan border is a direct response to persistent terrorist attacks emanating from Afghan territory and not an act of hostility against the people of Afghanistan.
Speaking during an international television interview on regional security and Pakistan’s role in ongoing global conflicts, Sardar Masood Khan stated that Pakistan had exhausted diplomatic, political and intelligence channels before resorting to military action under “Operation Righteous Fury.” He emphasised that Pakistan’s operations are “precise and proportional” and are aimed specifically at terrorist hideouts and training camps affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other extremist organisations operating from Afghan soil.
He observed that following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in August 2021, Pakistan had initially advocated internationally for the legitimacy and stabilisation of Afghanistan, including humanitarian assistance for the war-ravaged country. Pakistan, he said, actively supported engagement with Kabul through diplomatic platforms and multilateral mechanisms aimed at securing regional peace and stability.
However, Sardar Masood Khan noted that despite repeated assurances by the Afghan Taliban leadership that Afghan territory would not be used against neighbouring states, terrorist attacks against Pakistan intensified over the past several years. He added that groups including TTP, Al-Qaeda and Daesh had continued to exploit Afghan territory to organise and launch attacks targeting Pakistani civilians and security personnel.
He further stated that Pakistan repeatedly pursued dialogue and mediation through regional capitals including Beijing, Istanbul and Doha and maintained direct contacts with Afghan authorities in Kabul and Kandahar. According to him, Pakistan had proposed multiple cooperative mechanisms, including dismantling terrorist networks, relocating militants away from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and jointly pursuing demobilisation efforts.
Sardar Masood Khan also expressed concern over the alleged penetration of Afghan militant networks by Indian intelligence agencies, claiming that hostile actors were exploiting instability in Afghanistan to destabilise Pakistan following last year’s conflict between Pakistan and India.
Responding to allegations regarding civilian casualties and accusations of possible war crimes raised by some international organisations, he categorically rejected such claims and stated that Pakistan remains committed to international humanitarian norms. He stressed that there exists a “fog of war” and misinformation campaign aimed at concealing the activities of terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan.
Highlighting the human cost borne by Pakistan, Sardar Masood Khan said thousands of Pakistani civilians and security personnel had lost their lives or suffered permanent injuries in terrorist attacks since 2021. He added that several United Nations monitoring reports had also acknowledged the presence, patronage and financing of terrorist outfits operating from Afghan territory.
Concluding his remarks, he reiterated that Pakistan seeks peace, stability and cooperative relations with Afghanistan, but added that national security and protection of Pakistani citizens remain paramount.
