Pakistan’s Foreign Office described the cross-border operations as legitimate, targeted and proportionate, saying they were aimed exclusively at what it identified as terrorist infrastructure
MM Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday rejected India’s criticism of its reported counterterrorism operations targeting militant infrastructure in Afghanistan, describing New Delhi’s remarks as “baseless”.
Responding to media queries about a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on 29 June, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan’s actions were “legitimate, targeted and proportionate” operations against what it described as terrorist infrastructure across the border.
In a statement, the Foreign Office accused India of interfering in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries and undermining their sovereignty, while also alleging that New Delhi continued to deny Kashmiris their right to self-determination in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The spokesperson further alleged that India had supported militant groups operating from Afghan territory against Pakistan, an accusation India has consistently denied. “India continues to play the role of a regional spoiler. Its baseless accusations and inflammatory statements against Pakistan must not be entertained,” Andrabi said.
The Foreign Office added that Pakistan would continue to take what it described as appropriate measures to protect its citizens in accordance with international law. The statement comes amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Pakistan’s military also said on Wednesday that it had intercepted four drones allegedly launched from Afghanistan into Balochistan. The claim has not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate response from the Afghan authorities. Earlier this week, Pakistan said it had lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the Afghan authorities following a militant attack in Karachi.
Pakistan also said its security forces carried out intelligence-based operations and precision strikes against alleged militant camps along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, claiming that 29 militants were killed. The claims could not be independently verified.
The reported operations followed an attack on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar area, in which three Rangers personnel were killed and four others injured. Pakistani authorities said three attackers were killed during the assault and one injured Afghan national was taken into custody. Independent verification of those claims was not immediately available.
