Pakistan rejects Afghan claims of civilian deaths in border clashes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Sunday rejected the Afghan government’s claim that more than 750 civilians had been killed in clashes involving Pakistan, describing the allegation as false.

Earlier in the day, Afghan government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said in a statement posted on X that more than 27,000 families had been displaced across Afghanistan since February. According to Fitrat, 761 civilians were killed, 621 others were wounded, and 27,407 families were displaced between February 22 and April 4.

He also alleged that during the same period, the Pakistani military fired nearly 15,000 missiles, mortars and artillery shells into parts of several bordering provinces, including Kabul, and that more than 1,100 homes were destroyed.

Responding to the claims, the ministry’s fact-checking account said “The so-called spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat has again come up with a set of lies. It is well established that Pakistan has only undertaken precise targeting of Fitna al Khwarij and Afghan Taliban terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan.”

The ministry said details of what it described as precision air strikes, including the destruction and capture of posts, equipment, and the number of Afghan Taliban regime members and Fitna al Khwarij militants killed or injured, were being updated regularly. Footage of the strikes was available for verification, rather than what it called made-up infographics circulated by a habitual propagandist regime.

The statement further said “Contrarily, the whole world is witness to the terrorist attacks undertaken by the Indian-sponsored Afghan Taliban regime and its proxies, such as the recent cowardly attack in Domail, Bannu, where 10 civilians, including women and children, were martyred”

The ministry also alleged that Fitrat and other representatives of the Afghan administration frequently circulated fake, old and AI-generated propaganda videos and claims, and said these were amplified by Indian-backed propaganda networks.

The latest exchange comes amid continuing hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan that began in October. The fighting has killed scores of people on both sides, with Afghans bearing the heavier toll.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has denied the allegation and has said militancy is Pakistan’s internal issue.

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq resumed after a temporary pause observed in deference to Eidul Fitr and on requests from Islamic countries. The pause ended at midnight between March 23 and 24.

The operation had been launched more than a month ago after Afghan Taliban forces opened fire on multiple locations. Islamabad has said that the air strikes carried out in February, which triggered the latest escalation, were aimed at militants.