Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said Thursday that India is experiencing &quot;extreme frustration&quot; over Pakistan&#39;s increasing diplomatic relevance on the global stage, as Islamabad positions itself as a key mediator in the ongoing Middle East war. Speaking at a press conference, the information minister said the purpose of the briefing was to address ongoing international developments and Pakistan&#39;s role in resolving them. He said that Pakistan was a responsible actor whose mediation efforts have drawn broad international acknowledgment. &quot;There is extreme frustration, extreme anxiety,&quot; he said of India&#39;s reaction to Pakistan&#39;s rising profile. &quot;As they become irrelevant, they have been incensed at Pakistan&#39;s enhanced role, at Pakistan&#39;s relevance and significance.&quot; He attributed the diplomatic gains to &ldquo;a strong partnership&rdquo; between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Tarar credited their efforts at the international level, which the entire world has acknowledged. The minister said even India&#39;s own media has criticized its government over the contrast. He noted that Indian commentators there have acknowledged that Pakistan has emerged as a stronger and more relevant voice in world affairs in comparison to India. Tarar said the international community has accepted and recognized Pakistan&#39;s efforts at every level, a reality he said is now beyond dispute. He stated that Pakistan&#39;s engagement at the United Nations Security Council would be remembered, citing the country&#39;s vocal stance on Palestine and its role with regards to Iran. He said Pakistan had navigated those positions carefully; by protecting strategic ties while engaging allied nations, Pakistan demonstrated a balanced foreign policy. The minister also pointed to Pakistan&#39;s economic recovery as part of its broader resurgence. He described the turnaround from near-default as a &quot;phenomenal&quot; reversal, one the entire world had taken note of. He said Pakistan&#39;s Federal Board of Revenue transformation model was presented at a World Bank meeting as a successful case study.

Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan Attaullah Tarar holding a press conference on March 26, 2026. (PTV News)

Foreign Affairs

Attaullah Tarar says Pakistan is a responsible country whose mediation efforts have drawn broad international acknowledgment.

India ‘extremely frustrated’ by Pakistan’s rising diplomatic role on world stage: Information minister 

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan is <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/527-afghan-taliban-killed-in-crossborder-strikes-under-operation-ghazb-lil-haq-pakistan-minister" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">targeting</a> terrorist hideouts, not civilian areas,&nbsp;in Afghanistan, said&nbsp;Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday while speaking with foreign correspondents, reported the news agency, APP.&nbsp; The information minister said operations are based on accurate intelligence information. &ldquo;Pakistan is targeting only the infrastructure of terrorists and their support networks,&rdquo; he said. Tarar dismissed the figures presented by Afghanistan&#39;s interim government. He said the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-debunks-fabricated-afghan-reports-of-strikes-on-nur-khan-airbase" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">claims of battlefield victories</a> against Pakistan are &ldquo;incorrect and merely propaganda.&rdquo; The minister denied reports from the Afghan Taliban regime and the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan alleging civilian casualties. He said the UN agency in Kabul relies entirely on information provided by the Taliban government. He said joint attacks by the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij (<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ttptaliban-nexus-exposed-as-attacks-and-retaliation-mirror-each-other" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan</a>) confirm a nexus between the interim Afghan government and multiple terrorist organizations operating from Afghan territory. &ldquo;All attacks by the Afghan Taliban regime have been responded to promptly and effectively,&rdquo; Tarar said. He said that Pakistan has accurately targeted terrorists and their aides, including Afghan Taliban military bases, without striking civilian areas.

Pakistan is targeting militant hideouts inside Afghanistan, not civilian areas, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on March 9, 2026. (Radio Pakistan)

Security

Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan is targeting terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan, not civilian areas. He rejected Afghan Taliban claims of civilian casualties, saying strikes are precisely targeting terrorists and their support networks.

Pakistan targeting militant bases, not civilian areas, in Afghanistan: Information Minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s military carried out strikes on Monday&nbsp;targeting Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khawarij (T<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ttptaliban-nexus-exposed-as-attacks-and-retaliation-mirror-each-other" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan</a>) positions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and destroyed an ammunition depot at the Shaheen Base in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/over-70-militants-of-gul-bahadur-group-eliminated-in-strikes-security-officials" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Paktika</a>, Radio Pakistan reported, quoting security officials. The military also destroyed an Afghan Taliban post near Shawal Valley in South Waziristan, in northwestern Pakistan. The operations are part of Pakistan&#39;s Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, a campaign launched on Feb. 26 in response to repeated cross-border attacks from Afghanistan that have killed several Pakistani civilians. The operation aims to dismantle infrastructure in Afghanistan that is used to launch cross-border attacks into Pakistan. On Sunday, Pakistan&#39;s Information Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-kills-583-taliban-combatants-as-border-operation-enters-day-ten" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Attaullah Tarar</a> said Pakistani forces had carried out sustained strikes on terrorist positions across Afghanistan as part of a coordinated response. In a single day, 242 Taliban checkposts were destroyed; 38 additional posts were captured and subsequently destroyed by Pakistani forces.

Pakistan military destroyed an Afghan Taliban post near Shawal valley in South Waziristan, in northwestern Pakistan on March 9, 2026. (Radio Pakistan)

Pakistan’s military destroyed an ammunition depot at Shaheen Base in Paktika, Afghanistan, targeting Taliban and TTP positions. The operation is part of Operation Ghazab lil Haq.

Pakistan military destroys Afghan Taliban ammunition depot in cross-border strikes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory military campaign against Afghan Taliban positions has entered its eighth day, with Islamabad saying its forces have inflicted significant battlefield losses under Operation Ghazab lil Haq following repeated cross-border attacks. Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said at least 527 Afghan Taliban combatants and affiliated terrorists have been killed and more than 755 injured since the operation began.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 471px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2029879575329517624&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3156f2cf9157da1499123d1f99571ec10799d96d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Tarar said Pakistani forces had carried out sustained strikes on terrorist positions across Afghanistan as part of a coordinated military response. According to the latest operational update, 237 Taliban check posts have been destroyed, while 38 additional posts were captured and subsequently demolished by Pakistani forces. Tarar added that 205 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery guns belonging to Afghan Taliban forces were destroyed during the course of the operation. He also said 62 locations across Afghanistan were effectively targeted through air operations, describing the strikes as part of Pakistan&rsquo;s effort to dismantle infrastructure used to launch attacks across the border. Earlier, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry described the operation as a &ldquo;measured and proportionate response&rdquo; to what Pakistan says were unprovoked attacks originating from Afghan territory. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry has also defended the military action. During a weekly press briefing last week, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi characterized the engagement as an &ldquo;effective and forceful response&rdquo; aimed at safeguarding Pakistan&rsquo;s territorial integrity. The fighting along the Afghanistan&ndash;Pakistan border has drawn international attention as hostilities intensify across the frontier region. Russia&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry also expressed concern over the escalation. In a statement on March 4, spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow was &ldquo;concerned about the ongoing fighting along the Afghan-Pakistani border.&rdquo; She called on both countries &ldquo;to resolve their differences through dialogue based on mutual respect.&rdquo; Pakistani officials, however, maintain that the objective of Operation Ghazab lil Haq remains the neutralization of terrorist threats emanating from across the border and the protection of Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and security.

As border fighting intensifies, Pakistani officials say Operation Ghazab lil Haq targets militant infrastructure inside Afghanistan following cross-border attacks, while foreign governments voice concern and urge both sides to avoid further military escalation.

527 Afghan Taliban combatants killed as Pakistan’s retaliatory operation enters eighth day

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, on Thursday said that through being a part of US President Donald Trump&#39;s Board of Peace, the country was able &ldquo;to raise its voice effectively for the Palestinian people.&rdquo; While speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, the minister said there were three important takeaways from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s speech at the inaugural Board of Peace&#39;s session in Washington.&nbsp; &ldquo;Prime Minister stated in no uncertain terms that the Palestinians must be given their right to self-determination as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions,&rdquo; the minister said.&nbsp; The information minister said that Pakistan backed &ldquo;the establishment of a contiguous independent Palestinian state.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Thirdly, that Palestinians have a right over the Palestinian land,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; The information minister affirmed that Pakistan, by being a part of the Board of Peace, was &ldquo;able to raise its voice effectively for the Palestinian people,&rdquo; adding that according to him, &ldquo;the prime minister today did it very passionately.&quot; He also said that Pakistan had turned into a &ldquo;very serious international player.&rdquo; The &quot;world now realizes that Pakistan has great potential as far as investment is concerned, as far as economic opportunities are concerned,&rdquo; the information minister added. The information minister is in the United States as a part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&#39;s delegation for the Board of Peace.

Says prime minister stated in “no uncertain terms that the Palestinians must be given their right to self-determination as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” adds Pakistan backs “the establishment of a contiguous independent Palestinian state.” 

Pakistan able to raise ‘effective voice’ for Palestinians through BOP: Information minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Defense Minister Khwaja Asif on Tuesday emphasized that the army is not conducting large-scale operations in Tirah Valley and has no role in the migration, during a media briefing in Islamabad.&nbsp;The defense minister was holding the briefing along with the Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Information Ikhtiar Wali.&nbsp;Asif stated that there was &ldquo;no queston&rdquo; for a military operation in the erstwhile tribal valley, now merged into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the constitutional amendment.&nbsp;Last week, the information minister issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/no-directive-issued-for-depopulation-of-tirah-valley-pakistan-information-ministry" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement rejecting claims</a>&nbsp;that the federal government or the armed forces have issued directives to depopulate Tirah Valley.&nbsp;The statement called the allegations &ldquo;baseless&rdquo; and &ldquo;misleading.&rdquo; The ministry said it had taken notice of reports and social media claims alleging that residents of the valley were being forced to leave the area on the orders of the military.&nbsp;&ldquo;These assertions are baseless, malicious, and driven by ulterior motives aimed at creating alarm among the public, spreading disinformation against security institutions, and furthering vested political interests,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;The clarification comes amid reports that residents of Tirah Valley tehsil in Khyber district had begun leaving their homes in anticipation of a possible security operation in the volatile border region near Afghanistan, which has experienced a surge in militant activity in recent months.&nbsp;&ldquo;It was strategically decided then that intelligence-based operations (IBO) are way more effective than operations&rdquo;, the defense minister added stating that &ldquo;the collateral damage is way less.&rdquo;&nbsp; The minister stated that the armed forces have stopped the operation since years now &ldquo;in favor of the IBOs.&rdquo; &ldquo;There are approximately 500 TTP-related individuals present in the population, the military focuses on &quot;weeding them out&quot; through targeted intelligence rather than clearing out entire populations, &rdquo; Asif added. Taliban arrivalThe defense minister stated that since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan, terrorism in Pakistan has increased &quot;many folds.&quot; He added that despite the five attempts made for negotiation, no guarantees have been secured, partly due to &ldquo;internal rifts between the Taliban factions in Kabul and Kandahar.&rdquo; Responding to a question of migration, the minister added that seasonal shifts have moved the onset of heavy snowfall and winters further into the year, making &ldquo;January migration a logical response to the current weather patterns&rdquo;

Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Khawaja Asif, Attaullah Tarar at a press conference on Tuesday January 27, 2026 (PTV Live)

Defense Minister Khwaja Asif denies any large-scale military operation or forced displacement in Tirah Valley, saying intelligence-based actions continue, migration is seasonal, and rising terrorism since the Taliban takeover has complicated security efforts, nationwide stability.

Pakistan not conducting 'military operation' in Tirah Valley: Defense minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan, Attaullah Tarar, called for a united front against misinformation, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan on Monday. According to the statement, Tarar cited a World Economic Forum report that ranks false information as a bigger short-term global threat than nuclear warfare or climate change. The information minister was speaking at a dialogue organized by the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. The event focused on &quot;Facts Survive AI: Fighting Misinformation Together.&quot; &quot;The World Economic Forum Global Risks Report of 2024 says that the biggest short-term risk to the world at large is misinformation,&quot; Tarar said, according to APP. &quot;They do not say climate change. They do not say nuclear warfare.&quot; The information minister announced the establishment of Pakistan&#39;s first Digital Communication Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The department counters misinformation through social media handles that verify information or label fake content, he said. The minister met with representatives of social media platforms that have started labeling AI-created content, the news agency reported. &quot;So, I think we need to have labels for AI-created content or AI-generated content,&quot; he said. Tarar praised IBA&#39;s iVerify system for its success in combating false information at the national and international levels. He called for establishing more such systems to promote responsible journalism and combat fake news effectively. &quot;The community at large, the government, media houses, academia, the civil society, everyone has a role to play in countering misinformation,&quot; Tarar said. The minister urged the Pakistan Broadcasters Association and All Pakistan Newspaper Society to join the effort. He assured them of full government support. Tarar cited Pakistan&#39;s information response during a May conflict with India as an example of effective narrative management. &quot;Pakistan won that war in a very, very effective manner,&quot; he said. The ministry, he said, is collaborating with the United Nations Development Program to address misinformation. A training workshop scheduled this week will equip Ministry of Information officers and media professionals with skills to counter false information. Tarar stated that there was a need to educate younger generations about the ethical use of AI. &quot;We need to educate all segments of society on how to use AI responsibly,&quot; he said. The minister highlighted vulnerable groups, including minorities, children, and women, as particularly at risk from misinformation campaigns. The information minister stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has granted the ministry full authority to combat misinformation. He expressed hope that younger generations can work together to defeat misinformation.

Tarar also urged tech platforms to cooperate on combating AI-generated fake news and disinformation campaigns.

Misinformation bigger threat than nuclear war, climate change: Pakistan information minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday said the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is the state&rsquo;s enemy and vowed to eliminate the terrorist outfit. During a press conference in Islamabad, the information minister said that the state would act against the banned group, citing confidence in the armed forces, security agencies, and youth. &quot;As the minister for information, I state clearly: The TTP is Pakistan&rsquo;s enemy. Until our last breath, and until the last drop of blood has been shed, we will eliminate it. I am saying this with absolute resolve: We will eliminate it.&quot; He said the strength of the state came from faith and trust in the armed forces and security agencies, saying personnel leave their homes daily without certainty of return. He referred to families who send their children to fight, accepting the possibility of&nbsp;martyrdom. &ldquo;We stand by them, and we will prevail,&rdquo; he said. Economic revival Tarar also spoke about the economy. He said Pakistan had moved from the threat of default back into the ranks of emerging economies. &ldquo;We have successfully transitioned from the threat of default back into the ranks of emerging economies,&rdquo; he said. He said the stock exchange was breaking records every day. He attributed the performance to confidence among the business community, traders, and industrialists. &ldquo;Our stock exchange is breaking records every single day,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The business community, merchants, and industries trust the government&rsquo;s reforms and policies.&rdquo; The information minister said investors recognized that deep structural reforms were underway. He said that prime minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken difficult decisions for the country. &ldquo;They know the prime minister took difficult steps for the betterment of the country,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Those actions are bearing fruit now.&rdquo; Tarar said that the economic turnaround involved all government departments, for which he credited Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. &ldquo;They are the architects behind this ongoing economic revival,&rdquo; he said. Citing recent figures, the information minister&nbsp;said foreign remittances reached $3.6 billion in December. He said that marked a &quot;17% increase year-on-year&quot; and a &quot;13% rise month-on-month.&quot; &ldquo;I want to thank our overseas Pakistanis,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They are not only sending money home, but they are also breaking records.&rdquo; He said the government was working on foreign direct investment and that&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s trade with other countries was increasing. &ldquo;Wherever the prime minister goes, he promotes Pakistan&rsquo;s exports,&rdquo; Tarar said, citing Malaysia&rsquo;s increased quota for Pakistani rice and halal meat. He said trade discussions were prioritized during official visits to Pakistan. The minister mentioned the government&#39;s achievements, citing defense and economic frameworks with Saudi Arabia. He referred to agreements with Malaysia and partnerships with the United Arab Emirates. He also mentioned Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar being warmly received by China&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. &ldquo;With the launch of CPEC 2.0, all these economic frameworks are coming to Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. Tarar stated that the international community was viewing Pakistan with seriousness. He attributed that to the political leadership of PM Sharif and the military leadership of Field Marshal Munir. &ldquo;Because we have strong leadership, the world is taking Pakistan seriously,&quot;&nbsp;he said. He said investment was coming into the country and that an economic revival was underway.

Attaullah Tarar, while citing support for the armed forces and security agencies, said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is Pakistan’s enemy and the state will take action against it.

Articles tagged with "Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar"