Pakistan to inflict ‘unimaginable defeat’ on India and Afghanistan if they launch joint attack: DG ISPR

Pakistan military has said that the India-Afghan terror nexus is growing and vowed that an “unimaginable defeat” would be inflicted on Delhi and Kabul if they launched a joint attack on Pakistan in 2026, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed at a press conference in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

He said that 2,597 terrorists were killed while 1,235 security personnel and civilians were martyred in terrorist incidents during the past year.

He informed the journalists that over 75,175 counter-terrorism operations were carried out and 5,400 terror attacks were reported during 2025.

Addressing the media men, the ISPR director general said the purpose of the press briefing was to give a comprehensive overview of counter-terrorism measures taken during the year 2025.

He said the previous year was a landmark and consequential year in our fight against terrorism, adding the year witnessed unprecedented intensity of counter-terrorism efforts.

DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said incidents of terrorism in Pakistan have increased significantly over the past five years following the establishment of the Afghan Taliban regime.

The DG ISPR said that during 2025 alone, Pakistan faced 5,400 terrorist incidents, including 27 suicide attacks, in which two women were also used as suicide bombers. He stated that the Afghan Taliban’s narrative is not based on reality.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained the most affected province, witnessing 3,811 terrorist incidents during the year. He clarified that Khawarij have no connection with Islam, Pakistan, or Balochistan.

He said Afghanistan has become the centre of terrorist activities in the region, hosting terrorist organisations from various countries, including Syria, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and others.

He said Afghanistan has turned into a base of operations for terrorist groups, including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan, from where terrorism is being carried out against Pakistan.

The DG ISPR said there is consensus among all political parties on the National Action Plan, adding that the war against terrorism is a war of the entire nation.

He recalled that during the Doha talks, it was agreed that Afghan soil would not be used for terrorism, but those commitments were not honored.

He further said that terrorism in Pakistan is being sponsored from Afghanistan with Indian patronage. The Afghan Taliban, he added, had made three commitments during the Doha negotiations, including ensuring women’s education, but their narrative does not reflect ground realities.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used for terrorism, noting that Afghans were involved in 10 major terrorist incidents last year.

He said Pakistan’s armed forces are making daily sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and that this war must be won at all costs. He added that during Marka-e-Haq, Pakistan exposed India’s actions before the world.

The DG ISPR also revealed that the United States left behind $7.2 billion worth of modern weapons in Afghanistan during its withdrawal. 

He said that Khawarij, with financial assistance from India, have formed special squads of quadcopter and drone operators and were the first to use drones for terrorist attacks and surveillance in the region.

He clarified that Pakistan does not use drones or quadcopters in populated areas, strictly adhering to its operational policy.

Speaking during a briefing, the DG ISPR said that terrorists are also misusing mosques for terrorism, carrying out attacks on Pakistan’s armed forces and civilians. He said that terrorist formations move in large numbers, comparing their movement to long lines of ants.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that terrorists find a conducive environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that Khawarij use women and children as human shields during terrorist activities.

He clarified that the withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan has no connection with the Afghan Taliban, dismissing misleading narratives surrounding the issue.

DG ISPR has strongly criticised Afghanistan’s interim leadership, India, and what he described as a coordinated terrorism narrative against Pakistan. The DG ISPR said that Afghanistan’s self-styled foreign minister recently visited India to meet idol worshippers, despite the fact that senior Taliban leaders had once destroyed idols. 

He said Indian media had openly claimed that India and Afghanistan would jointly attack Pakistan in 2026, adding that Pakistan was fully prepared to respond. “Come if you dare; the world will see what happens,” he warned.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that there is effectively no functional government in Afghanistan, and that Pakistan had been forced to deliver a strong response to cross-border terrorism, destroying terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan within hours.

He said that a criminal-terror nexus exists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but stressed that Pakistan’s political and military leadership are fully aligned, adding that the level of national clarity achieved in 2025 had never been seen before.

The DG ISPR said that terrorism originating from Afghanistan is not limited to Pakistan, noting that the United States, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and China have all raised concerns. He quoted Iran as saying that crime dropped by 30 percent after Afghan nationals were expelled. He added that Pakistan possesses solid evidence of the locations and movements of terrorists.

Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Afghan Taliban have found a new “hero” in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and accused them of organising and training the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on their own organisational model.

He further alleged that false narratives are being manufactured from within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, adding that nearly 5,000 mining exploration licences had been issued by the KP government. 

He said that several individuals operating under the banner of human rights were exposed last year, claiming they were backed by India. He added that the Indian media’s reaction to their arrest in Pakistan revealed their true agenda.

The DG ISPR said that the international community and the United Nations have acknowledged Pakistan’s stance that Afghanistan has become a hub of at least 20 global terrorist organisations.

He also questioned why Khawarij terrorists had not attacked the ruling party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while targeting parties such as the ANP and PPP, adding that the KP government has opposed operation against militants in the province.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has announced that a National Action Plan specifically for Balochistan will be presented soon, stating that Rs31 billion are being allocated to strengthen Pakistan’s war against terrorism.

Addressing security challenges, the DG ISPR said that a politically permissive environment for terrorism exists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which he described as a major factor behind 80 percent of terrorist incidents occurring in the province.

He questioned why Khawarij militants have not carried out attacks against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, raising concerns over political narratives surrounding militancy in the province.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has sought assistance from Afghanistan, adding that allegations are being made in place of reasoned arguments. He said the chief minister’s position had now become clear, and asked pointedly whether rejecting military operations meant accepting terrorist dominance or surrendering governance to militants.

The DG ISPR stressed that no individual or group has the right to harm Pakistani citizens or national infrastructure, reaffirming the state’s resolve to protect public safety.

He added that the closure of the Afghan border had resulted in a marked decline in terrorist activity, underscoring the effectiveness of border management as part of Pakistan’s broader counterterrorism strategy.

Reporter Ahmad Mansoor