Pakistan’s Foreign Office has formally protested to Afghan authorities regarding violations of its airspace by Afghanistan, delivering a demarche on September 26. This diplomatic move follows a previous protest note handed over on September 23 concerning drone incursions into Pakistani territory.
In response to the drone violations on September 23, Pakistan conducted precise air and drone strikes targeting 10 locations within Afghanistan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Pakistan’s air defense systems detected and neutralized all drones before they could reach their targets. The retaliatory strikes focused on sites allegedly used for launching and storing these drones, strictly targeting military objectives linked to the attempted attacks.
Tarar issued a stern warning that any further breaches of Pakistan’s sovereignty would provoke immediate retaliation. He urged the Afghan Taliban administration to take decisive and sustained measures against militant groups operating from Afghan soil. Despite the escalation, Tarar emphasized that Pakistan does not seek conflict and remains committed to regional peace, dialogue, and constructive engagement.
The diplomatic tensions come amid worsening relations between the neighboring countries, exacerbated by recent violence. On the preceding Saturday, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for an attack near the Aman Mela checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan district, which resulted in at least 12 fatalities and over 30 injuries, police reports.
Islamabad has consistently accused the Taliban administration of harboring the TTP and other armed groups that allegedly use Afghan territory to plan and execute cross-border attacks. Kabul denies these accusations, describing Pakistan’s security challenges as internal matters and rejecting claims of providing safe haven to militants.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban government has accused Pakistan of supporting Daesh-affiliated groups. Afghan officials reported that their forces killed 28 militants and detained 32 others in Nuristan province. They further alleged that Pakistan had deployed several Daesh-linked groups into Afghanistan to carry out attacks. Pakistan has denied these allegations, stating no involvement and highlighting the absence of evidence from Kabul.
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