Pakistan was compelled to respond with force following cross border firing and a series of terrorist attacks allegedly originating from Afghan territory, Pakistan's former Minister of Information and Culture, Senator Mushahid Hussain told APA.
Speaking about the recent escalation, Hussain said Islamabad had first exhausted diplomatic channels before resorting to military retaliation.
“Pakistan has been using the option of diplomacy, direct negotiations, and also having talks through friendly countries like Türkiye. We had talks in Istanbul, then we had talks through Qatar in Doha, but to no avail,” he said.
According to the former minister, nearly every major act of terrorism in Pakistan over the past three months can be traced back to Afghanistan.
“Almost every act of terrorism that has taken place in Pakistan in the last three months, their roots, their resources, their masterminds can be traced back to Afghanistan,” he stated, adding that Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities had failed to restrain armed groups allegedly operating from their soil.
He claimed that these groups were acting freely “to the detriment of Pakistan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Hussain said that when cross border firing intensified over the last two days and attacks continued despite diplomatic efforts, Pakistan decided to respond.
“When they opened firing in the last two days, and despite our efforts, they did not stop, we had to hit back. And we had to hit back hard,” he said.
He stressed that Pakistan’s response targeted only military installations and terrorist hideouts, not civilians.
“We only hit military targets or terrorist hideouts. The purpose is not to damage civilian property or civilian life,” he noted.
The senator drew a parallel with Azerbaijan’s actions in defending its sovereignty against Armenian aggression, saying Pakistan acted as any sovereign state would under similar circumstances.
Hussain emphasized that Pakistan distinguishes between Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities and the Afghan people, describing the latter as a “brotherly people” with whom Pakistan shares deep historical ties.
He pointed out that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, calling the country a “model host” for approximately four million refugees over the past 40 years.
Despite the escalation, Hussain said Pakistan remains open to diplomacy and expressed hope that mediators such as Türkiye, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Qatar could help ease tensions.
He also referred to statements by the United Nations, saying there is evidence that terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory have carried out attacks against Pakistan.
“Our core concern is that Afghan territory should not be used to destabilize Pakistan. Afghan soil should not be used by terrorist groups to terrorize people in Pakistan or to attack Pakistan. That is the red line,” he said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 2,600-kilometer border, making stability and security in both countries closely interconnected, he added, expressing hope for a diplomatic settlement that would promote lasting peace and security for both nations.
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