ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has signalled a tougher response to cross-border militant activity, with security and diplomatic sources saying Islamabad has communicated that it reserves the right to act against terrorist infrastructure located beyond its borders when another country’s territory is allegedly used to facilitate attacks against Pakistan.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the policy involves intelligence-based operations, targeted security actions and other measures against militant networks accused of conducting or facilitating attacks on Pakistani territory. The sources said relevant diplomatic channels and international forums have been informed of Pakistan’s position.
The development comes amid heightened tensions along Pakistan’s western border and a series of security operations targeting suspected militant networks. Pakistani officials have repeatedly accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and associated groups of operating from Afghan territory, allegations that Afghan authorities have disputed.
Security sources told Minute Mirror that recent incidents in Kurram and Bannu, together with reported Pakistani air operations in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Paktika provinces, are being viewed by Pakistani authorities as part of a wider counter-terrorism campaign.
On September 22, security sources reported firing from positions attributed to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan in the Kurram sector. Pakistani forces responded with fire, according to officials familiar with the incident. Footage obtained by Minute Mirror purportedly shows the exchange, although the circumstances surrounding the footage could not independently be verified.
In another development, Pakistani security officials said forces operating in Bannu eliminated a senior militant commander identified as Fatehullah, also known as Saifullah Fateh or Mudassir. Officials have linked the suspect to attacks and kidnappings involving security personnel and alleged that he had connections with militant elements operating from Afghanistan.
Security sources further alleged that the commander had previously been associated with an Afghan Taliban special-forces unit and had operated alongside the TTP with foreign facilitation. These claims remain subject to independent verification.
Meanwhile, Pakistani officials said the Pakistan Air Force conducted operations against suspected militant locations in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Paktika provinces. According to the security sources, the strikes targeted what they described as militant hideouts, command facilities, training locations and logistical sites.
Afghan Taliban officials have disputed Pakistan’s account of the operations and alleged that civilians were affected. Pakistani security officials rejected the allegation and maintained that the strikes were directed at militant infrastructure.
A senior Pakistani security official told Minute Mirror that the targets had been identified through intelligence and argued that Pakistan’s objective was to strike militant locations rather than civilian areas. The official said allegations of deliberate attacks on civilians should be examined against available evidence from the affected locations.
The competing claims have not been independently resolved, and casualty figures and details of the targeted sites remain subject to verification.
Pakistan has also reportedly intensified diplomatic engagement with international organisations and foreign governments over what officials describe as the growing threat posed by militant networks operating across the region.
Security officials have expressed concern over alleged links among groups including al-Qaeda, Islamic State/Daesh, TTP and other militant organisations. Pakistani authorities have accused elements in Afghanistan and foreign actors of providing support or safe havens to such groups. These allegations have been rejected or disputed by the parties accused.
Officials said Islamabad wants international organisations, including the United Nations and other relevant bodies, to take greater notice of cross-border militant financing, recruitment and movement.
The heightened security environment has also coincided with preventive restrictions in Punjab. The provincial government has imposed Section 144 across Punjab from September 23 to October 5, according to a Home Department order cited by officials.
The order restricts public gatherings and certain forms of assembly amid security alerts concerning possible attacks, including threats involving suicide bombers, vehicle-borne explosives and targeted killings. Authorities said the decision followed recommendations from law-enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Security officials said the restrictions are intended to reduce vulnerabilities around large public gatherings and other potential targets during the heightened threat period.
Pakistan’s latest position marks a significant emphasis on pre-emptive action against militant networks that authorities believe are planning or facilitating attacks from outside the country. However, the scope and implementation of any cross-border operations remain matters of security and diplomatic sensitivity.
With tensions continuing along the western frontier, Pakistani authorities are expected to maintain heightened surveillance and counter-terrorism operations while pursuing diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan and international partners.
Minute Mirror is continuing to seek official statements from Pakistani and Afghan authorities regarding the reported operations, the identities of alleged militant targets and the civilian impact of the strikes.
