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ISLAMABAD: A 13-year-old Pakistani boy rescued by the army has described systematic sexual abuse at multiple terrorist-controlled facilities in a tribal region bordering Afghanistan, security sources said. The boy, identified only as Ikramullah, was abducted from a petrol pump in his village of Sangeri by two operatives of Fitna al-Khawarij, named in his testimony as Selaab and Abasin, and subsequently moved through at least four mosque-based facilities used by the group as operational centers in North Waziristan district, in Pakistan&#39;s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. Pakistani authorities use the term &quot;Khawarij,&rdquo; rooted in early Islamic history, to describe the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied militant networks, casting them as outlaws who reject legitimate authority and deliberately target civilians and state institutions. In his own words, Ikramullah described what he endured: &quot;In Manzarkhel, the mosque was made into a center. There were three or four other boys there&hellip; some younger than me and some older than me.&rdquo;&nbsp; &quot;During the day, they used to make us bring food from people&#39;s homes, and used to rape me at night,&rdquo; he said. &quot;Fifteen of them were Afghans and some were from my village and Miranshah.&quot; Ikramullah said he was moved from Manzarkhel, a small settlement in North Waziristan, approximately 15 kilometres from the Afghan border, to a facility at Tapi, then back to Manzarkhel, before being taken to Khulziai and finally to Palangzai where the abuse continued at each location. &quot;There was a mosque in Khulziai which was called the Spain mosque. After that, they took me to Palangzai and raped me there on the third day. In Palangzai, the mosque was also made into a center,&quot; he said. The Pakistan Army launched an operation in Palangzai during which Ikramullah was wounded. He was evacuated, treated, and subsequently gave his account to authorities. &quot;The army bandaged my wounds. I spent two days there and they gave me good food,&quot; he said. Social experts and child protection advocates condemned the disclosures, describing the use of mosques to carry out sexual crimes against children as a profound desecration of sacred spaces and a defining mark of the group&#39;s ideological bankruptcy. &quot;A fitna that massacres innocent civilians and sexually exploits children deserves no leniency whatsoever,&quot; experts said. Security sources said the testimony further exposes the true nature of Fitna al-Khawarij, whose fighters, the majority of them Afghan nationals according to the victim, have long used Pakistan&#39;s tribal belt along the Afghan border as an operational base. The group is designated a terrorist organisation by the Pakistani state.

Pakistani soldiers keep watch at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman, Balochistan province on March 19, 2026. (AFP)

Security

A boy rescued by Pakistan Army describes systematic sexual abuse at facilities controlled by Fitna al-Khawarij in northwestern Pakistan near border with Afghanistan.

Rescued Pakistani child reveals systematic sexual abuse at terrorist facilities

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has formally fact-checked Afghan media claims of a military strike on a university in Kunar province, stating that the reports are fabricated and part of a coordinated campaign to conceal the Afghan Taliban&#39;s support for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-rejects-afghan-taliban-claim-says-kabul-strikes-hit-terrorists-information-minister" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">terrorists targeting Pakistan</a>. In a post on X, the ministry called TOLOnews&#39; (an Afghan news network) reporting &quot;a blatant lie.&quot; It stated that no strike had been carried out on Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan University in Asadabad, Kunar province. Pakistan&#39;s targeting, the ministry said, is &quot;precise and intelligence-based.&quot; <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;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 900px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2048739175932023087&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c7e4c0364b0a20f516235d749df3704386ec72e4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> TOLOnews had claimed that Pakistani forces conducted missile and jet attacks on Monday targeting the university and surrounding residential areas, citing provincial information chief Najibullah Hanif. The Afghan Taliban official put casualties at three dead and 45 wounded. According to the information ministry, the Afghan media reports follow &quot;the old playbook where Afghan media creates fake news to cover up support to terrorist groups and proxies like Fitna al-Khwarij.&quot; The ministry added that Indian media amplified the claims. Pakistan-Afghanistan relations have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban regime returned to power in 2021. Islamabad&#39;s central demand has been verifiable action against <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-15-terrorists-in-balochistan-operation-military" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fitna al-Khwarij</a> (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan). TTP has been carrying out cross-border attacks into Pakistan&nbsp;<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">from Afghan soil</a>. The cross-border hostility has been one-directional. A mortar shell fired from Afghan territory struck a residential area in the South Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early Sunday morning. It injured three civilians, district police confirmed. The shell landed in a house near the border, wounding two women and a male resident. Police said the women sustained minor injuries while the man was reported to be in serious condition. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that the TTP&#39;s presence in Afghan territory is a &quot;red line&quot; and that peace talks cannot proceed alongside continued militant operations. Pakistan launched Operation <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/operation-ghazab-lilhaq-pakistans-crossborder-offensive-kills-663-afghan-taliban" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ghazab lil-Haq</a> in February, targeting terrorist camps inside Afghanistan. Islamabad continues to pursue diplomatic engagement through the Pakistan-China-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers&#39; Dialogue, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a formal fact-check, stating that Afghan media claims of military strikes on Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University in Kunar province as fabricated (Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar/Faceboo

Pakistan's information ministry rejects Afghan media reports of strikes on a Kunar university as fabricated; says the claims are designed to conceal Afghan Taliban support for cross-border terrorist attacks on Pakistan.

Pakistan fact-checks Afghan strike claims, points to TTP cover-up

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said on Sunday that India&#39;s allegations against Pakistan regarding the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-failed-to-substantiate-pahalgam-allegations-after-one-year-pakistan-minister" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">Pahalgam attack</a>&nbsp;were rejected internationally, while Islamabad&#39;s position gained global recognition. &quot;Pakistan&#39;s truth emerged as a bright reality at the global level,&quot; Tarar said. &quot;India&#39;s baseless allegations and fabricated narrative could not find acceptance at the global level.&quot; The information minister was speaking on the first anniversary of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&#39;s address at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, which he called a historic turning point on the diplomatic front. Pakistan had first responded to Indian allegations at a National Security Committee meeting on April 24, 2025, according to the information minister. Two days later, PM Sharif addressed cadets at PMA Kakul, delivering &ldquo;a befitting reply to India&rdquo; over &ldquo;a false flag operation in Pahalgam.&rdquo; &quot;The blame game and baseless allegations under the guise of incidents like Pahalgam must stop,&quot; PM Sharif said in that address, as quoted by the minister. Tarar said that the prime minister described the Pahalgam incident as a tragedy. Pakistan also expressed sympathy with the victims and raised concern and regret at the global level. He noted how India, by contrast, has never condemned terrorist incidents. The information minister said when the prime minister offered to investigate the Pahalgam incident, India backed down entirely. &quot;India&#39;s failure to respond to the offer of investigation is a question mark on its position,&quot; he said. &quot;The whole world supported Pakistan&#39;s position.&quot; Tarar stated how India-backed terrorist groups are directly involved, including <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-15-terrorists-in-balochistan-operation-military" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">Fitna al-Hindustan</a>&nbsp;(Balochistan Liberation Army) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-premier-vows-to-eradicate-all-forms-of-terrorism-from-country" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">Fitna al-Khwarij</a> (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan).&nbsp;&quot;The clear difference is that Pakistan has made sacrifices against terrorism while India promotes terrorism,&quot; he said. He said that Pakistan has lost more than 90,000 lives in the war on terrorism and suffered over $600 billion in economic losses. On India&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/president-zardari-calls-on-india-to-restore-indus-waters-treaty" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">weaponization of water</a> against Pakistan, the minister said PM Sharif issued an unambiguous warning: &quot;Water is Pakistan&#39;s red line, there will be no compromise on it.&quot; India uses water as a weapon alongside terrorism, he stated. &quot;Pakistan&#39;s forces are capable of giving a full and effective response to any adventure,&quot; Tarar said. &quot;The entire nation stands with the Pakistani forces and is determined to defend the homeland.&quot; &quot;The Pakistani nation will not compromise on its honor and dignity,&quot; he said, quoting the prime minister directly. Pakistan&#39;s institutional and military strength has become clear to the world, he stated. &ldquo;India faced defeat on all fronts &mdash; narrative, diplomatic, and otherwise.&rdquo; &quot;Pakistan gained respect, dignity and trust at the global level. The morale of overseas Pakistanis also rose.&quot; &quot;The prime minister&#39;s speech in Kakul will be remembered as an important milestone in history,&quot; he declared.

Attaullah Tarar says India did not respond to Islamabad's offer for a joint investigation into the Pahalgam attack, noting that Pakistan’s position gained global support while India’s narrative was rejected.

India's Pahalgam narrative rejected, Pakistan's position gained global acceptance: 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 has conducted precision airstrikes on seven terrorist camps and hideouts along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan border in response to a series of suicide bombings inside the country, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Pakistan said early Sunday. In an official statement, the ministry said the strikes targeted camps linked to Fitna al Khwarij, Pakistan&rsquo;s term for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), groups Islamabad says were responsible for recent attacks on Pakistani soil. The ministry said the operations were launched after authorities established the involvement of these groups in multiple suicide bombings, including the attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, as well as incidents in the northwestern districts of Bajaur and Bannu during the holy month of Ramadan. A further suicide bombing in Bannu earlier this week heightened security concerns, officials said. According to the ministry, responsibility for the attacks was claimed by Afghanistan-based elements of Fitna al Khwarij and ISKP, with investigations linking the attackers to leadership and handlers operating from across the border. &ldquo;Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority,&rdquo; the ministry said. The strikes come after recent rounds of diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan failed last year to produce concrete measures to halt cross-border militant activity. Islamabad said multiple rounds of talks in Doha and Istanbul sought to secure commitments from the Taliban authorities to prevent Afghan territory from being used by groups such as Fitna al Khwarij and ISKP to plan and execute attacks inside Pakistan. According to the ministry, &ldquo;despite repeated discussions, the Afghan side did not undertake substantive action, leaving Pakistan with no option but to take intelligence-based military measures to protect its citizens and national security.&rdquo; The ministry described the strikes as a &ldquo;retributive response,&rdquo; adding that the intelligence-based operations were carried out with precision and accuracy to disrupt militant infrastructure and prevent further attacks. Pakistan reiterated its demand that Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government fulfil its obligations to ensure its soil is not used for terrorism against other countries, including commitments under the Doha Agreement. Islamabad also called on the international community to play a constructive role by urging the Taliban authorities to honour those commitments, saying such steps are essential for regional and global peace and security. The ministry said Pakistan remains committed to stability in the region but will continue to act decisively to safeguard its citizens and national security. Further updates will be issued as the situation develops.

Information Ministry says the targeted camps were associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). They were hit after Pakistan confirmed their involvement in recent terrorist attacks.

Pakistan conducts precision border strikes after deadly terrorist attacks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Thursday summoned Afghanistan&rsquo;s deputy head of mission and lodged a strong protest over a terrorist attack in Bajaur that resulted in the martyrdom of 11 Pakistani soldiers. It said the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there. According to the Foreign Office, the government condemned &ldquo;in strongest possible terms&rdquo; the vehicle-borne suicide bombing followed by a fire assault on a military and law enforcement post in the district. He said Pakistan has received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime but has not seen concrete action. Andrabi said Pakistan called on the Afghan Taliban regime to take immediate and verifiable steps against all militant groups operating from its territory, including their leadership. He stated that Pakistan informed the Afghan Taliban regime that it reserves the right to act against members of the Fitna al-Khawarij group and their affiliates wherever they are located to protect its soldiers, civilians, and territorial boundaries. Separately, while speaking to the media, the foreign office said that the country&rsquo;s patience was &ldquo;obviously not unlimited&rdquo; when it came to Afghanistan&rsquo;s actions, adding that the country reserved the right &ldquo;of any action in our right to self-defense.&rdquo; Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that there was &ldquo;no positive response from Afghanistan to Pakistan&#39;s very legitimate demands that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism inside Pakistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;So as long as this demand is not met, while exercising patience, all options would obviously remain on table,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;we cannot let our people to be killed mercilessly.&rdquo;

The photograph shows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Islamabad, Pakistan. (File Photo: PTV)

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said officials told the Afghan Taliban representative that the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there.

Pakistan delivers strong demarche to Afghan diplomat after Bajaur terrorist attack 

ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operating from Afghan territory, could evolve into an extra-regional threat if it deepens cooperation with Al Qaeda-aligned groups, the United Nations Security Council&rsquo;s latest monitoring report has warned.&nbsp;In its 37th report, covering July to December 2025, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said some member states expressed concern that the TTP may expand its targeting ambitions beyond Pakistan, particularly if collaboration with transnational jihadist networks intensifies.&nbsp;The report states that Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities continue to provide a &ldquo;permissive environment&rdquo; for terrorist groups. While several violent factions remain active, the Monitoring Team noted that the TTP enjoys greater operational latitude and support compared with others &mdash; a dynamic linked to a marked surge in <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/four-facilitators-of-islamabad-mosque-attacker-afghan-mastermind-arrested-security-sources" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">attacks against Pakistan</a>.&nbsp;&ldquo;De facto authorities continued to provide a permissive environment for a range of terrorist groups, notably Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,&rdquo; the report states, endorsing Islamabad&rsquo;s long-standing complaints that terrorists are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-uncovers-afghanistanbased-terror-network-as-attacks-mount" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">using Afghan territory as a safe haven</a>.&nbsp;Surge in cross-border violence and operational reachThe United Nations assessment underscores that TTP has grown into one of the largest terrorist groups operating out of Afghanistan, developing deep roots across several eastern and southeastern provinces.&nbsp;The group has been linked to many attacks, particularly in the latter half of 2025, contributing to heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.&nbsp;The Monitoring Team also documented expanded capabilities, citing access to modern weapons, training infrastructure, and logistical backing that have boosted the group&rsquo;s lethality.&nbsp;These include advanced small arms, night-vision equipment and even drone systems &mdash; often facilitated through systems of movement passes and permits allegedly issued by Afghan authorities.&nbsp;Al Qaeda ties and wider threat concernsBeyond its cross-border campaign, the TTP&rsquo;s relationship with Al Qaeda remains a central concern. Member states cited in the report warned that the group&rsquo;s operational cooperation with Al Qaeda-aligned networks could broaden its target set and potentially make it an extra-regional threat beyond South Asia.&nbsp;The report further highlights that Al Qaeda continues to act as a &ldquo;service provider&rdquo; for other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, offering training and strategic support, particularly to the TTP, fueling fears of a widening nexus of extremist collaboration.&nbsp;Taliban denials and international frictionThe findings starkly contradict repeated Taliban assurances that no terrorist groups operate within Afghan borders, with the report noting that no UN member state endorsed this claim. The persistent sanctuary for the TTP and other terrorist groups is now recognized as a credible and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ttp-are-our-enenmy-we-will-eliminate-them-information-minister" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">documented threat</a>, complicating Kabul&rsquo;s diplomatic positioning and fueling mistrust with neighboring capitals.&nbsp;Implications for regional securityWhile the Monitoring Team stopped short of declaring that TTP has carried out attacks outside the region, the trendlines suggest a dangerous evolution. Member states expressed particular worry that deeper TTP-Al Qaeda links could enable the group to strike beyond Pakistan, potentially drawing in targets across Central and South Asia or further afield.&nbsp;The report&rsquo;s publication comes amid ongoing violence in Pakistan, including high-profile attacks on civil and security targets, reinforcing the urgent need for coordinated regional counter-terrorism action and renewed international engagement on Afghanistan&rsquo;s terrorist landscape.

Afghanistan

The 37th periodic report from the UNSC's Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, covering July-December 2025, paints a stark picture of a terrorist landscape that increasingly threatens regional security.

TTP on Afghan soil poses 'extraregional threat,' says UN

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.

'TTP is our enemy, we will eliminate it': Pakistan's information minister

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues robust security operations along its western border as regional dynamics shift, following India&rsquo;s engagement with Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban government, according to a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).&nbsp;The annual conflict assessment, titled &ldquo;Ten Conflicts to Watch in 2026&rdquo;, highlights Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic position in South Asia after two separate military confrontations in 2025, first with India in April, then with Afghanistan in October.&nbsp;The report underscores ongoing cross-border militancy, noting that over 600 Pakistani security personnel were killed last year, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan.&nbsp;Islamabad attributes these attacks to militants operating from Afghan territory, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) elements.&nbsp;While the Taliban publicly deny the presence of Pakistani militants in Afghanistan, officials acknowledge that controlling all movement across the 2,570-kilometer border remains challenging, the ICG notes.&nbsp;In October, cross-border incidents prompted Pakistan to conduct limited operations against militant targets, and coordinated regional diplomacy through T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar helped establish a temporary ceasefire.&nbsp;The ICG report also observes that Taliban-India engagement has heightened Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic focus on the region. Pakistan&rsquo;s intelligence and military authorities continue to monitor developments closely, ensuring cross-border threats are contained while maintaining readiness for counterterrorism operations.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s history of supporting Afghan stability, including sheltering Taliban leaders during their insurgency against the US-backed government, underscores Islamabad&rsquo;s ongoing commitment to regional security.&nbsp;The ICG report stresses that Pakistan&rsquo;s proactive measures aim to prevent militant groups from exploiting porous borders and to maintain calm along its western frontier.&nbsp;In addition to western border challenges, Pakistan faced tensions with India following the April 2025 Pahalgam incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir, which led to retaliatory strikes by both sides.&nbsp;The report calls these confrontations the most serious escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in years. Pakistani authorities have since worked closely with international partners to stabilize the situation, while continuing to strengthen defense preparedness.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan remains vigilant in safeguarding its borders and countering cross-border threats,&rdquo; the assessment notes, citing Islamabad&rsquo;s measured and strategic response. Officials emphasize that regional stability depends on continuous cooperation, intelligence coordination, and robust security measures along sensitive border areas.&nbsp;The ICG&rsquo;s annual watchlist identifies South Asia as a critical flashpoint in 2026, highlighting the importance of Pakistan&rsquo;s proactive counterterrorism and border security operations in maintaining regional peace.

India

The ICG report highlights South Asia’s 2025 conflicts, cross-border militancy, Afghanistan-India engagement, and regional flashpoints, warning that instability could escalate if underlying tensions remain unaddressed in 2026.

Pakistan strengthens border security amid Taliban-India regional developments

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani law-enforcement agencies have uncovered what officials describe as a structured terrorist network operating from Afghanistan, with recent arrests exposing recruitment pipelines, cross-border training sites, and planned strikes on military and civilian targets, security sources said.&nbsp;One of the key arrests occurred in Talagang, where authorities detained a man identifying himself as Qasim, alias Hassan, a member of the Daloozi tribe from Afghanistan&rsquo;s Gardez province. According to security sources, the suspect admitted he had been recruited in 2025 by a Taliban commander named Armani at Sarha Darga.&nbsp;&ldquo;He told investigators that Commander Armani, along with a companion named Farooq, made him conduct reconnaissance of the army fort in Tajori for a suicide attack,&rdquo; security sources said. The suspect also allegedly confessed to 20 days of training in Afghanistan before being tasked with carrying out a suicide bombing.&nbsp;Security officials said the suspect claimed to have recruited five people for the network, receiving Rs10,000 ($34) per recruit, and later traveled to Punjab in September to enlist additional members before being arrested.&nbsp;The detentions come amid Pakistan&rsquo;s deadliest surge in terrorism in a decade, with violence heavily concentrated in&nbsp;Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)&nbsp;and Balochistan. &ldquo;Attack levels recorded in 2024 mirrored those of 2014,&rdquo; security sources said, citing internal assessments.&nbsp;More than 300 attacks have already struck KP in 2025, according to provincial counterterrorism data shared with investigators.&nbsp;Pakistani authorities maintain that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated outfits continue to use Afghan territory to stage operations. Security officials noted that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had previously stated that suicide bombers who targeted an Islamabad courthouse and a military cadet college in 2025 were Afghan nationals.&nbsp;Security sources added that a December 2024 attack in Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) by Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a TTP-linked faction, killed 23 security personnel, prompting Islamabad to demand action from Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim authorities.&nbsp;According to the sources, internal threat assessments show a sharp rise in regional militancy since the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s return to power in 2021. Pakistan-based research cited by investigators documented a 51% increase in attacks in the year following August 15, 2021, while the interior ministry logged a 60% nationwide rise in 2023.&nbsp;Terrorism-related fatalities in Pakistan have quadrupled since 2019, internal government data shows, rising from 365 deaths that year to at least 1,438 in 2023. Academic studies reviewed by security officials also indicate that average monthly TTP attacks tripled between 2020 and 2022.&nbsp;A 2025 assessment circulated among Pakistani security planners concluded that the TTP continues to receive &ldquo;substantial logistical and operational support&rdquo; from authorities inside Afghanistan, with analysts noting that the group has adopted a more centralized command structure and operates from cross-border sanctuaries.&nbsp;Security sources said the latest arrests offer the &ldquo;clearest evidence yet&rdquo; of an organized recruitment chain linking operatives inside Pakistan to handlers and trainers based in Afghanistan.

Pakistani security sources say recent arrests expose a structured Afghanistan-based network recruiting, training and deploying militants as nationwide attacks surge, with TTP-linked groups expanding operations from cross-border sanctuaries.

Articles tagged with "Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)"