Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said today that Pakistan expects Taliban government to take concrete measures against terrorist elements and their perpetrators that wish to derail Pak-Afghan relations.

Pakistan has launched defensive strikes against terrorist infrastructure inside Afghanistan, a move described by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as a ‘befitting response’ to ‘unprovoked firing and raids’ by the Taliban government, which he labeled a serious provocation.

In a statement released on the social media platform X, the foreign minister expressed profound concern over the escalating developments along the Pak-Afghan border, emphasizing Islamabad’s expectation that the Taliban administration will take concrete measures against militant groups.

Mr. Dar asserted that Pakistan’s retaliatory actions are specifically aimed at neutralizing terrorist elements, identified as “Fitna-al-Khawarij” and “Fitna-al-Hindustan,” which are operating from Afghan soil and seek to destabilize bilateral relations.

The Deputy Prime Minister clarified that the defensive response is not directed towards the “peace loving Afghan civilian population.” He stressed that, unlike the actions of Taliban forces, Pakistan is exercising extreme caution in its operations to prevent any loss of civilian lives.

Reaffirming the nation”s stance, Ishaq Dar concluded that Pakistan will utilize all necessary measures to defend its territory, safeguard its sovereignty, and protect its people from external threats.