Pakistan continues to describe its attacks—from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Kabul—on civilians and public infrastructure as part of its fight against terrorism, despite causing significant casualties.
In recent remarks, Pakistan’s foreign minister labeled the targeting of civilians in Afghanistan as a successful effort against terrorism.
Observers say Pakistan’s military regime is attempting to justify targeting civilians in order to advance broader military objectives, while openly framing such actions as counterterrorism.
Military analyst Akhtar Mohammad Rasikh stated that Pakistan has long-term strategic goals and sees continued conflict in Afghanistan as beneficial. He claimed Pakistan aims to turn Afghanistan into a buffer zone and relocate militant groups there to destabilize the region.
Another analyst, Asadullah Nadim, said that killing and harming civilians in Afghanistan is worse than terrorism itself, calling it a war crime and stressing that any state or individual responsible must be brought to justice.
Other observers argue that Pakistan is under pressure to portray civilian casualties as part of anti-terror efforts in order to mislead both its domestic audience and the international community.
They claim that Pakistan’s military actions—from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Kabul—have particularly targeted civilians, including women, children, and the sick, forcing the government and military to attempt justification.
Former diplomat Aziz Maarij said Pakistan’s actions violate international principles and lack legitimacy, adding that labeling civilian targeting as counterterrorism is an attempt to justify aggression. He also criticized the absence of an effective international mechanism to verify such claims, suggesting that global powers—particularly Western countries—have enabled Pakistan’s actions to destabilize the region.
Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to defend its operations in Afghanistan as legitimate counterterrorism measures, claiming to target groups allegedly involved in anti-Pakistan activities.
Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, stated that Pakistan is committed to eliminating terrorism and has targeted groups such as the TTP and BLA inside Afghanistan.
These claims come as reports indicate that last week, during heavy bombardments, a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul was hit, resulting in over 400 deaths and more than 250 injuries.
At the same time, military operations have displaced thousands of families across provinces including Paktika, Khost, Paktia, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, causing significant human and financial losses for civilians.
