Pakistan rejects India's 'baseless' criticism of counterterrorism strikes along Afghan border

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday strongly rejected India's criticism of its recent counterterrorism operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, describing New Delhi's remarks as "preposterous", "baseless" and devoid of credibility.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan's actions were legitimate, targeted and proportionate measures undertaken to eliminate terrorist infrastructure threatening the country's security.

In a statement posted on X, Andrabi dismissed India's allegations and accused New Delhi of attempting to divert attention from its own record of regional interference.

"Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless statement made by India regarding Pakistan's legitimate, targeted and proportionate actions against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan," the spokesperson said.

He said India's criticism was particularly ironic given what he described as New Delhi's longstanding record of violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries.

"This preposterous statement has been made by a country that has historically interfered in and undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbouring states, in contravention of the United Nations Charter, while continuing to suppress the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions," Andrabi said.

The spokesperson further alleged that India had been actively supporting and financing terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory against Pakistan.

He said such actions were in violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council sanctions regime and reflected India's role as "a regional spoiler".

"India's baseless accusations and inflammatory statements against Pakistan must not be entertained," he added.

Reaffirming Islamabad's commitment to protecting its citizens, Andrabi said Pakistan would continue to take all necessary measures against terrorist threats in accordance with international law.

"Pakistan has been and will continue to take all appropriate measures to safeguard the safety and security of its citizens in accordance with international law," he said.

The Foreign Office statement came days after Pakistan's security forces conducted an intelligence-based ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, followed by calibrated precision strikes against terrorist hideouts and safe havens, killing 25 terrorists.

The operation was launched after terrorists carried out a deadly attack on the Pakistan Rangers Sindh headquarters in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar area, in which three security personnel embraced martyrdom.

Following the operation, India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned Pakistan's actions, describing them as a "blatant act of aggression" and alleging that they posed a threat to regional peace and stability.

Pakistan has consistently urged the Afghan interim authorities to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries operating from Afghan territory, maintaining that militant groups continue to use cross-border safe havens to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has repeatedly stated that despite its diplomatic engagement with Kabul, concerns over the presence of terrorist networks in Afghanistan remain unaddressed.

Earlier this year, following what Pakistan described as unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces across the border on the night of February 26, Pakistani security forces launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting terrorist hideouts involved in cross-border attacks.