ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has issued a formal demarche to the Afghan Taliban regime over involvement of Afghan nationals in the recent Karachi terrorist attack.
The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that the demarche was conveyed on Monday when the FO summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires in Islamabad.
A similar demarche was conveyed by Pakistan’s Ambassador Mr Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
These demarches were issued in light of the fact that Afghan nationals, including one apprehended alive, participated in this attack, proving yet again that Afghan soil and Afghan nationals continue to be used to orchestrate terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, read the statement. In response to the attack on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi, Pakistani carried out strikes targeting camps and hideouts of the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Fitna al-Khawarij militant groups in Afghanistan
Earlier today, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar released video footage on X that he said the precision strikes were carried out during the night of June 28-29 under Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq in the Afghan border provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar.
Tarar said at least 29 militants were killed in the operation, including Jamaat-ul-Ahrar commander Khan Farosh, also known as Zabal. He said three militant camps were destroyed along with weapons and ammunition stockpiles.
The operation followed Saturday night’s attack on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi, which Pakistan blamed on Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan’s military said three Rangers personnel and three militants were killed in the assault, while four security personnel were injured. It also said an Afghan national was captured alive after the attack and vowed to carry out retaliatory operations against those responsible.
Tarar said Pakistani security forces had earlier conducted an intelligence-based ground operation in Bajaur district along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, killing four militants.
“Based on credible intelligence, precision strikes were carried out against terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Fitna al-Khawarij in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region,” Tarar said in a statement. “Three targets in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar were destroyed during the operation.”
He said the operation was launched in response to a series of recent militant attacks in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, as well as the Karachi Rangers camp attack.
“Pakistan seeks peace and stability in the region but will not compromise on the safety and security of its citizens,” Tarar said.
Afghan authorities rejected Pakistan’s account, saying the strikes hit civilian areas and caused heavy casualties.
Afghanistan’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, said 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 163 others were injured. He said 30 people died and 158 were wounded after Pakistani aircraft struck residential areas in Mandukhel village in Paktia province, while six others were killed in Giyan district of Paktika province when a house was hit.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Islamabad says the TTP and affiliated militant groups operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan, allegations that Kabul has repeatedly denied. Afghan officials have instead urged Pakistan to address its internal security challenges.
Pakistan has also accused India of supporting militant groups operating from Afghan territory, a charge New Delhi rejects.
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have further escalated following deadly border clashes in October 2025 and February 2026, which left dozens of security personnel dead or wounded on both sides.
