Pakistan Rejects Afghan Taliban's 'Baseless' Civilian Casualty Claims, Reaffirms Right to Self-Defence

Pakistan's Foreign Office on Monday categorically rejected what it called the Afghan Taliban regime's "baseless and unsubstantiated" allegations of civilian casualties in its counter-terrorism operations, reaffirming Islamabad's right to defend itself against terrorist attacks launched from Afghan soil.

Main News Report

In a statement issued on Monday, 26 October (PR No. 308/2026), Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said disinformation and misleading narratives would neither obscure the threat posed by terrorist networks operating from Afghan territory nor absolve the Afghan Taliban regime of its responsibility to prevent Afghan soil from being used to plan and launch attacks against Pakistan, Business Recorder reported.

• What was rejected: the Afghan Foreign Ministry's allegation that 1,119 Afghan civilians were killed or injured in Pakistani military strikes in Afghanistan since late 2021, PTI reported.
• Pakistan's casualty figure: more than 3,500 casualties in 2026 alone from terrorist attacks planned, financed and carried out from Afghan soil, according to the Foreign Office.
• Groups named: the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to as Fitna al Khawarij, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), referred to as Fitna al Hindustan, and their affiliates, which the statement said continue to shelter in Afghanistan "with impunity".
• Pakistan's position: any action in response to such attacks has been taken in exercise of the right to self-defence, under the principles of necessity and as a measure of last resort, directed "only and exclusively against terrorists and their logistical support bases in Afghanistan".
• Conduct of operations: the response was proportionate to the threat and strictly adhered to the principles of distinction and precaution, with the scale and scope of action reflecting restraint, the statement said.

The Foreign Office also urged the international community to hold the Taliban regime accountable for failing to uphold its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions and other commitments to prevent Afghan soil from being used as a launchpad for terrorism, The Express Tribune reported.

Background Context

Pakistan-Afghanistan ties have been strained for years over cross-border terrorism, and fighting between the two neighbours broke out in October 2025. Last month, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan had carried out "precision" aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan after drones launched from Afghan territory entered Pakistani airspace, describing the strikes as a response to a "deliberate and unlawful incursion", according to The Express Tribune.

The latest exchange follows a pattern of public rebuttals from Islamabad. Just days earlier, Pakistan rejected former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's claims of arming Afghans against the Taliban, calling them baseless and misleading, while Pakistan Army struck Afghan Taliban posts in Kurram after an infiltration attempt earlier this month. Islamabad has also said it is ready for dialogue with Afghanistan but demands verifiable action against cross-border terrorism.

The statement also comes as Pakistan plays a wider regional mediation role: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey held talks with Iran in Tehran on Monday in an effort to stop the Middle East war from reigniting, underlining how Islamabad's diplomacy now spans both its western neighbours at once.

Reactions and Statements

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said: "We reject the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations regarding civilian casualties attributed to its counter-terrorism operations." He added: "No responsible state can remain passive when its civilians and security forces are repeatedly targeted."

The statement said thousands of Pakistani civilians had been martyred in terrorist attacks planned, financed, supported and carried out from Afghan soil, "under the watch, patronage and active facilitation of the Afghan Taliban regime". It added: "Pakistan rejects any insinuations otherwise."

On sovereignty, the Foreign Office said Pakistan "reserves the right to take all necessary measures in order to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety and security of Pakistani nationals".

Why This News Matters

For Pakistan, the statement draws a public line in a dispute that now plays out in competing casualty claims: Kabul's figure of 1,119 Afghan civilian casualties since late 2021 against Islamabad's figure of more than 3,500 Pakistani casualties in 2026 alone. Whichever numbers gain traction internationally will shape how the conflict is understood abroad.

For the region, the exchange shows that the Pakistan-Afghanistan file remains unsettled despite repeated rounds of talks and a ceasefire earlier this year. With Pakistan simultaneously mediating between the United States and Iran, its ability to keep its western border stable matters well beyond Islamabad.

Future Developments

Watch for: any response from the Afghan Taliban regime to the Foreign Office statement; whether the dispute escalates into further cross-border incidents or returns to the negotiating table; any comment from the United Nations or other international bodies on the competing casualty claims; and whether Pakistan's stated conditions for dialogue, verifiable action against the TTP and BLA, produce any movement from Kabul. PakInsight Hub will update this story as reactions come in.

Sources

• The Express Tribune, Pakistan rejects 'baseless' civilian casualty claims by Afghan Taliban (26 October 2026)
• Business Recorder, Civilian casualties: FO rejects baseless Afghan Taliban allegations (27 October 2026)
• PTI via Deccan Herald, Over 3,500 people killed this year in terror attacks launched from Afghanistan: Pakistan (26 October 2026)

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