Islamabad — Pakistan’s Military Spokesperson Warns Afghanistan to End Cross-Border Terrorism; Says Parliament Will Decide on Any Gaza Deployment

Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has issued a stern warning to Afghanistan, urging it to end cross-border terrorism, while making it clear that Pakistan will not seek security assurances from the Taliban regime.

Speaking informally to senior journalists in Islamabad, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) said Pakistan’s security “rests solely with its armed forces” and not with Kabul. “Taliban militants have played football with the heads of our soldiers — how can we negotiate with them?” he said, rejecting calls for dialogue with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

General Chaudhry stressed that any decision to send Pakistani troops to Gaza for a peace mission would be made by Parliament, not the military.

Addressing reports about U.S. drone operations, the DG ISPR denied any existing agreement between Pakistan and the United States, adding that “no formal complaint has been received from the Taliban regime” and “no drones operate from Pakistani territory.”

He accused the Taliban government of harboring and facilitating terrorists, noting that Pakistan had made its position clear during meetings in Istanbul — that “Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism or cross-border attacks.”

Commenting on domestic security operations, General Chaudhry said Pakistan has carried out intelligence-based operations against militant networks, during which around 200 soldiers and officers have been martyred. He warned that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial government’s suggestion of talks with militants only spreads confusion.

“Pakistan will protect its people and armed forces. We will ensure peace by strength, not by begging for security guarantees,” he asserted.

General Chaudhry also highlighted the nexus between the TTP, warlords, and narcotics smugglers in Afghanistan, saying such networks fund terrorism through opium cultivation and trafficking.

On the Gaza issue, he reiterated that any troop deployment abroad falls under civilian authority, emphasizing that Pakistan’s armed forces operate strictly within constitutional and parliamentary oversight.