Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that all diplomatic and operational ties between Islamabad and Kabul have ceased following unprovoked cross-border attacks by Afghan forces.
Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, the minister said:
“Currently, there is a state of complete disengagement. You could say that while there are no active confrontations at the moment, the atmosphere remains tense.”
He confirmed that Pakistan has neither direct nor indirect contact with the Afghan government at this point. “Hostilities could resume at any moment that possibility cannot be ruled out,” the minister warned, while also acknowledging a temporary calm on the border.
The development comes in the wake of deadly clashes on 11 and 12 October 2025, when the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that Pakistan’s armed forces responded decisively to unprovoked attacks launched from the Afghan side.
According to the ISPR, more than 200 Afghan Taliban fighters and allied foreign militants were neutralised in retaliatory operations, following a coordinated assault on Pakistan’s border positions. The overnight gun battle resulted in the martyrdom of 23 Pakistani soldiers, with 29 others wounded.
In a detailed statement, ISPR revealed that the attacks were carried out by Taliban fighters in collaboration with an India-backed terror outfit known as Fitnat-ul-Khawarij.
“During the night of 11 and 12 October, Afghan Taliban and their India-sponsored proxy fighters launched unprovoked assaults across the Pak-Afghan border targeting Pakistani military positions,” the statement read. Despite the scale of the attack, Pakistan’s armed forces responded with precision, taking control of 21 strategic Afghan positions while taking strict measures to prevent civilian casualties.
ISPR confirmed that the damage inflicted on the attacking forces was significant, with over 200 militants killed and many more injured. The statement also emphasised that Pakistani forces undertook all possible precautions to safeguard innocent lives and avoid unnecessary destruction. The security situation remains fragile, and military sources have not ruled out the possibility of further escalations.
