Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ataullah Tarar, on Sunday said the Afghan Taliban intentionally targeted civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, adding that its claims Pakistan carried out indiscriminate strikes in Afghanistan were just a cover to hide Kabul’s own horrific acts of aggression.
Responding to a statement by the Afghan Taliban government’s deputy spokesperson, the minister said Kabul had “knowingly targeted a civilian population” in Bajaur.
Four civilians, all brothers, were martyred, and a child was injured after artillery and mortar fire from the Afghan Taliban struck a house in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Today at around 1530 hours, the Afghan Taliban regime deliberately targeted the civilian population through artillery and mortar fire from across the border in Tabesta Letai, Salarzai area of Bajaur,” Tarar wrote on X.
The minister stressed that Pakistan’s armed forces only conduct operations against terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan and do not target civilian areas.
He also rejected claims circulating on Taliban-linked platforms, saying Pakistan does not rely on AI-generated images or videos.
Tarar added that “false narratives” promoted through official Taliban channels were exposing the Afghan government domestically and internationally.
Earlier, Tarar in an X post said four civilians — brothers Sajid, Ayaz, Riaz, and Muaz — were martyred, and a five-year-old child was seriously injured when their house was hit.
The attack has drawn strong condemnation from locals and the civilian population.
“This cowardly and heinous targeting of civilians by the Afghan Taliban, in cohorts with terrorist organisation Fitna-al-Khawarij, is not only a grievous violation of international law and basic human values but also reflects their deep frustration and desperation against the Armed Forces of Pakistan, who are carrying out targeted operations on terrorist hideouts and infrastructure under Operation Ghazb Lil Haq,” Tarar said.
He added that “a befitting and aggressive response is being carried out against Taliban positions and infrastructure responsible for this dastardly act.”
Pakistan’s armed forces had killed 684 Afghan Taliban operatives and militants and injured more than 912 during strikes carried out under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq.
Providing an update on X, Tarar said the losses inflicted on Fitna al-Khawarij and the Afghan Taliban included the destruction of 252 posts, while 44 posts were captured and destroyed.
He said 229 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns were also destroyed during the operation.
According to the minister, Pakistan's forces effectively targeted 73 terrorists and terrorist support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan through air strikes.
