Pakistan has warned India against any military aggression, saying its commitment to peace must not be mistaken for weakness, while urging the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to take concrete and verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan issued the warning during his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Friday, rejecting recent threats by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as provocative and dangerous for regional peace and stability.
Singh had warned that any future terrorist attack originating from Pakistan would invite a stronger military response than the previous one. In response, the Pakistani spokesperson said Islamabad remained fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression.
Pakistan’s warning comes against the backdrop of the May 2025 military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Khan said India should remember the consequences of its military action last year, when Pakistan demonstrated its ability and determination to defend its territory.
“We want to remind India of the consequences of its military aggression last year, when Pakistan demonstrated its capability and resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and gave a befitting response to Indian aggression,” he said.
Khan urged New Delhi to abandon its confrontational posture and dangerous rhetoric, stressing that Pakistan’s restraint and commitment to peace should not be interpreted as a lack of resolve.
Pakistan Presses Kabul Over Terrorist Sanctuaries
The Foreign Office also reiterated Pakistan’s demand for effective action against terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan, identifying cross-border terrorism as a major threat to the country’s security.
Khan said Pakistan had repeatedly raised concerns about terrorist groups using Afghan territory to plan and facilitate attacks inside Pakistan. Islamabad has called on the Taliban authorities to prevent their territory from being used by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups involved in terrorist activities.
Addressing an international counterterrorism conference in Islamabad on October 12, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had urged Afghan authorities to take concrete measures against terrorist elements operating from their territory. He also highlighted threats posed by groups that Pakistan alleges receive Indian support and operate from Afghan soil.
Pakistan maintains that dismantling terrorist sanctuaries and disrupting the networks that facilitate cross-border attacks are essential to restoring security. Its demands include verifiable measures to stop terrorist operations, rather than diplomatic assurances alone.
The issue has become a central point of contention between Islamabad and Kabul, with Pakistan repeatedly calling for action against the TTP and other groups it accuses of exploiting safe havens across the border.
Islamabad Says Counterterrorism Requires Action, Not Assurances
Pakistan has continued to raise the issue through bilateral engagements and international forums, arguing that terrorist networks operating from Afghan territory threaten not only Pakistan but wider regional stability.
The Pakistani government has also highlighted alleged links between terrorist groups and external sponsors, including claims of Indian support for anti-Pakistan elements operating from Afghanistan. These allegations remain contested, while the Taliban authorities have rejected accusations that Afghan territory is being allowed to serve as a base for attacks against other countries.
For Islamabad, however, the central demand remains unchanged: terrorist groups must be denied the ability to recruit, train, finance operations and launch attacks across the border.
Khan reiterated that Pakistan would defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity while continuing to advocate peace in the region. He called on India to exercise restraint and act responsibly, warning that provocative statements and military threats risk undermining regional stability.
Pakistan’s position is that meaningful progress toward regional peace will depend on ending cross-border terrorism and ensuring that commitments against terrorist groups translate into verifiable action on the ground.
