Wana, South Waziristan – Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir stated on Wednesday that lasting peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan can only be achieved if the Taliban regime in Kabul “renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations.”
The military chief’s remarks came during a visit to Wana in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, where he reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness along the volatile Western border.
According to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) , CDF Munir was given a comprehensive briefing on the security environment, ongoing intelligence-based operations, and border management measures.
Operation Ghazab Lil Haq
The Field Marshal was briefed in detail regarding the ongoing “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” and recent developments along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where cross-border skirmishes have intensified.
During his interaction with officers and troops deployed in forward areas, Munir commended their “unwavering professionalism, operational vigilance, and high morale” amid the ongoing clashes.
Red Lines: ‘Fitna al Khawarij’ and ‘Fitna al Hindustan’
The ISPR statement made clear Pakistan’s core grievances:
“The Field Marshal emphasised that the use of Afghan soil by Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan for acts of terrorism against Pakistan was unacceptable and all necessary measures would be taken to neutralise the threat emanating from across the border.”
- Fitna al Khawarij is the term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) .
- Fitna al Hindustan refers to terrorist organizations operating in Balochistan.
“He reiterated that peace could only prevail between both sides if the Afghan Taliban renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations,” the statement emphasized.
Honoring the Fallen
Earlier, CDF Munir laid a floral wreath at the martyrs’ monument to pay homage to those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of the motherland.
“He offered fateha and reaffirmed that the sacrifices of shuhada remain the cornerstone of Pakistan’s security and resilience,” the ISPR added.
Context: Relations at Lowest Ebb
Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are at their lowest point since the group seized power in Kabul four years ago.
The current tensions erupted after February 22 strikes by Pakistan on terrorist camps in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. Those strikes prompted the Afghan Taliban to launch unprovoked attacks along the border last week, triggering Pakistan’s “Operation Ghazab lil Haq” on February 26.
A senior security official briefed journalists on Monday, stating that Pakistan is “in no hurry” to wind down the operation and will continue cross-border action until Kabul provides verifiable guarantees against terrorism facilitation.
“Operations in Afghanistan will end when Afghanistan’s Taliban Regime provides verifiable assurance of compliance to Pakistan’s demand of quitting facilitation of Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan. We are in no hurry,” the official said.
Previous mediation efforts by Turkiye and Qatar in Doha have failed to produce a lasting agreement, with three rounds of talks yielding only a fragile ceasefire and no concrete resolution.
