Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, said at the eighth “Moscow Format” meeting that Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations are carried out in response to terrorist attacks from Afghanistan and are “defensive” in nature.
Sadiq said on Monday, October 5, that the operations are precise and based on intelligence gathered by Pakistan.
He added that Pakistan carries out these actions under its right to self-defense and to ensure the security of its citizens.
The Pakistani special representative said terrorism remains one of Afghanistan’s main challenges, and that groups including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and al-Qaeda are active in Afghanistan.
According to him, more than 4,700 Pakistani citizens have been killed in terrorist attacks linked to Afghanistan over the past three years, and he said the Taliban regime has a role in the issue.
The remarks come as the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has confirmed that at least 10 civilians, including children, were killed in recent Pakistani airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand.
