Pakistan vows immediate strong response to any Taliban provocations along Afghan border

Musharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Prime Minister for foreign media, stated that Pakistan will respond 'immediately and severely' to any provocations by the Taliban along the shared border with Afghanistan. In a post on X on Tuesday, Zaidi said the Taliban had initiated 'unprovoked' firing in the Torkham and Tirah areas, to which Pakistani security forces immediately responded and contained what he called an 'incursion.' He emphasized that Pakistan will protect its citizens and meet any provocative actions with a 'harsh response.'

These remarks come amid recent Pakistani airstrikes targeting militant positions in Afghanistan's Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, which Pakistani officials claim killed more than 80 militants. Pakistan's Information Ministry stated the strikes were in response to a wave of attacks inside Pakistan, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad and assaults in Bannu and Bajaur. The ministry asserted Islamabad has 'concrete evidence' that these attacks were planned by leaders based in Afghanistan. Pakistan's army added that operations against perpetrators will continue and that it will show 'no restraint' against threats.

Tensions between the two sides have escalated since October, with multiple border clashes leading to exchanges of fire. Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged the Taliban to prevent the use of Afghan soil for attacks against Pakistan.

In a separate incident near the Iranian border, Pakistani authorities reported that security forces opened fire on a vehicle in the Prom area of southwestern Balochistan province on Monday after it failed to stop at a checkpoint. The shooting killed two Afghan women and injured three others, who were among Afghan nationals allegedly entering Pakistan illegally en route to Iran. Officials described the firing as a necessary response under border protocols. According to Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, the deceased and injured were taken to a hospital, and other Afghan nationals in the vehicle were detained. Further details on the injured or detainees' proceedings were not provided.