Pakistan on Friday refrained from directly acknowledging reports of alleged airstrikes in Kabul, instead describing its counterterrorism actions as legitimate defensive measures against militants operating from Afghan soil. The Foreign Office emphasized the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation with Kabul to address the issue of cross-border terrorism.

During the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that “Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of its people.” He added that Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and remains committed to dialogue and cooperation with its neighbour to confront the shared challenge of terrorism.

According to the spokesperson, the security operations were intelligence-based, aimed at protecting Pakistani citizens from terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other banned outfits.

The statement came after two explosions in Kabul on Thursday night. Local Afghan media, citing eyewitnesses, reported jet aircraft activity and gunfire, claiming that a TTP compound and a vehicle were targeted in suspected airstrikes. Meanwhile, Afghan authorities openly accused Pakistan, with the Afghan Ministry of Defence alleging that “once again, Pakistan violated Afghan airspace by bombing a marketplace near the Durand Line in Paktika province and breaching the air boundary of Kabul.”

The Foreign Office also declined to comment on the recent agreement between India and Afghanistan to reopen their embassies, which was reached during a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Shafqat Ali Khan said, “Our position on Afghanistan’s bilateral relations with any other country is that it is a matter between those two sovereign states.” He stressed that Afghanistan is an independent country, and Pakistan has no specific comment on its foreign engagements.

The spokesperson, however, reiterated Pakistan’s consistent stance that Afghan soil should not be used against Pakistan, while reaffirming respect for Afghanistan’s sovereign right to pursue an independent foreign policy.