'Everything necessary will be done': Military spokesman reaffirms Pakistan's right to self-defence against Afghanistan-based terrorism

Pakistan's military spokesman, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, reaffirmed on Thursday that the country retained the right to self-defence and would take "everything necessary" to counter terrorism originating from Afghanistan. During a press conference, Chaudhry dismissed Indian reports of a wanted individual being killed during an encounter in occupied Kashmir, instead focusing on the threat posed by terrorist activities from Afghanistan.

Chaudhry emphasized Pakistan's unwavering stance against any threat to its territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security. He reiterated that the military would take whatever actions were necessary to ensure the safety of its citizens, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The spokesman dismissed the Afghan Taliban regime as "non-inclusive," "non-representative," and "non-elected," stating that it had become a haven for terrorist groups, including AQIS, ISKP, ETIM, IMU, and FAK.

He highlighted a meeting held by Kandahar's governor Mullah Shirin in August, where representatives from various extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda, Bashir Zeb, and the Afghan Taliban, coordinated their efforts to combine forces against Pakistan. Chaudhry criticized the Afghan Taliban for sheltering these terrorists and for failing to address the issue, urging international media to focus on the role of Afghanistan in enabling such terrorist activities.