Pakistan PM Reaffirms ‘Zero Tolerance’ Policy During Army HQ Visit

Speaking on Friday at the grand mosque in Khost Province, Haqqani said that if such an uprising were declared against Pakistan, the country would face serious consequences.

He said the Taliban would not stand aside but would be on the front lines alongside the people in defence of Afghanistan.

Haqqani also called on regional and international actors to help facilitate dialogue, saying the door to negotiations remained open.

In another part of his speech, he stressed the importance of unity and cohesion among Taliban members.

Referring to reported drone attacks in Islamabad, Mujahid said Pakistan had realised that Afghans could strike back. He claimed Taliban drone strikes on Islamabad, Nowshera and Abbottabad were successfully conducted.

He also alleged that Pakistani reconnaissance aircraft were operating in Afghan airspace and said Pakistani fighter jets carried out strikes on Friday in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Kunar. According to Mujahid, civilians were harmed in those attacks.

Speaking at an online news conference on Friday, Mujahid warned that further escalation would undermine regional stability and called on neighbouring countries to halt what he described as Pakistan’s military aggression.

While emphasising the group’s stated commitment to diplomacy, he said Pakistan was unwilling to resolve the dispute through dialogue. He rejected Pakistani officials’ assertions that civilians had not been targeted and claimed Taliban forces had struck military sites with precision.

Mujahid also dismissed allegations by Pakistani officials that the Taliban were engaged in proxy warfare on behalf of India, saying the group had no history of acting as a proxy force. He accused Pakistan of pursuing foreign-backed projects aimed at destabilising the region.

He claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in border clashes the previous day and said the bodies of some were in Taliban custody. Mujahid added that 13 Taliban fighters were also killed in the fighting.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the parties to implement an immediate ceasefire.

The remarks were made on Friday, 27 February, during a regular press briefing following an intensification of armed clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The ministry said the latest clashes appeared more intense than previous incidents and warned that any continuation or escalation would harm both sides.

China urged the parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and said it stands ready to use its diplomatic channels to help ease tensions.

He said the establishment of what he described as a moderate system in Afghanistan would benefit all neighbouring countries. Chaudhry warned that if the conflict ends without meaningful consequences, it would fuel further militancy from Afghan soil.

In a post on X, the former Pakistani official said the continuation of the current situation poses a danger to all neighbouring states.

He called for a joint regional strategy to address shared security challenges.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar told Faisal bin Farhan that Islamabad had responded to what he described as unprovoked Afghan aggression.

In a statement issued on Friday, the ministry said Pakistani forces carried out strikes inside Afghan territory as part of an operation it referred to as “Ghazb lil Haq”.

The statement described the strikes as successful and targeted operations.