With the government hinting at possible cross-border action into Afghanistan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has questioned the ruling coalition’s approach toward the neighboring country.
“Afghanistan is not our enemy; why are they trying to make it one? […] Why are you attempting to provoke a war with our Muslim brothers?” said Aleema Khan, quoting her brother while speaking to the media outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, as reported by The News.
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Khan’s purported remarks come as Pakistan’s civil and military leadership convened an in-camera session of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security in response to the rising incidents of terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The high-level meeting was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lieutenant General Asim Malik, chief ministers of all four provinces, and other senior officials. However, key figures such as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, and members of PTI did not participate in the session.
During the meeting, military leadership briefed the attendees on the country’s overall security situation.
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The discussions follow last week’s shocking attack by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), whose militants—reportedly in contact with handlers in Afghanistan—targeted train tracks and took over 440 passengers hostage in a tense, day-long standoff with security forces in Balochistan’s Bolan district.
This closed-door session also comes in the wake of the Global Terrorism Index 2025 report, which ranks Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected country globally. The country moved up from fourth place, experiencing a staggering 45% rise in terrorism-related fatalities—from 748 deaths in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024—marking one of the most significant surges worldwide.
Amid these developments, Islamabad has urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take decisive action against terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and has signaled the possibility of cross-border military operations.
“If we need to engage in hot pursuit and cross into [Afghanistan] to eliminate our enemies, we will do so,” stated the country’s defense minister.
Meanwhile, Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Minister Musadik Malik reinforced the government’s stance, declaring: “The decision has been made. We will eradicate terrorists through targeted operations, intelligence-based actions, or direct combat. We will take the war to the doorstep of those responsible for martyring our children.”