Pakistan’s military spokesperson said Afghanistan became the region’s primary hub for terrorism in 2025, accusing militant groups based there of driving a sharp rise in violence. He added that Pakistan’s concerns have gained international acceptance.
Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at a press conference on Tuesday that security, particularly counterterrorism, was Pakistan’s top priority last year. He described the fight against militancy as a national effort and said 2025 saw the most extensive and effective counterterrorism campaign in the country’s history.
Referring to the Doha agreement between the United States and the Afghan Taliban, Chaudhry said the accord required that Afghan territory not be used for terrorist activities. He claimed, however, that banned organisations and militant groups are now operating freely in Afghanistan, turning the country into the centre of terrorist operations in the region.
Chaudhry also said about $2.7 billion worth of advanced US military equipment remains in Afghanistan, including night-vision devices, long-range sniper rifles and other weapons. He claimed the equipment is now in the possession of the Taliban and that some of it is being sold on the black market, fuelling extremism across the region.
The military spokesperson said Afghanistan has become a safe haven for smugglers as well as regional and international terrorist groups that, he alleged, operate from Afghan soil against neighbouring countries.
Chaudhry said Pakistan had repeatedly asked the Taliban to curb the activities of these groups but, after those efforts failed, Pakistani forces struck what he described as terrorist positions across the border “within hours”.
While Pakistan had previously not denied conducting airstrikes inside Afghanistan, this marked one of the clearest public confirmations by the military of such actions.
He said the strikes demonstrated Pakistan’s determination to eliminate extremist threats, adding that the country’s counterterrorism efforts have been praised by the international community.
Chaudhry said Pakistani security forces carried out 75,175 intelligence-based operations last year, including 14,658 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 58,778 in Balochistan and 1,739 in other parts of the country.
He said 27 suicide attacks were recorded in 2025, two involving women. According to the military, 1,235 security personnel and civilians were killed during the year, while 2,597 militants were also killed.
Chaudhry said 80 percent of terrorist attacks occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arguing that a “conducive political environment” in the province had enabled militant activity. He added that terrorist incidents have risen steadily from 2021 through 2025.
