ISPR Briefs KP Journalists on Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, Says Afghan Taliban Regime Acting as 'Proxy Master' of Terrorism

Military's media wing says operation will continue until Kabul provides credible guarantees of ending militant sanctuaries

PESHAWAR: (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5 March, 2026)
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday hosted a significant briefing for journalists from various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, outlining the rationale and objectives of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq in the context of Pakistan's ongoing counter-terrorism campaign.

Senior officials at the briefing made clear that Pakistan harbours no grievance against the Afghan people, but asserted that the Afghan Taliban regime has emerged as a central "proxy master" facilitating terrorism across the region, enabling multiple militant outfits that pose a direct threat to regional peace and stability.

"The Afghan Taliban regime must choose between Pakistan and the terrorist groups it is sheltering — it cannot have both," an official stated, adding that Operation Ghazab Lil Haq represents a continuation of Pakistan's sustained war against terrorism and will not be wound down until Kabul provides credible and verifiable guarantees of ending its support for militant networks.

"We are in no hurry," the official emphasised.

Khawarij ideology condemned

The briefing also addressed the ideological dimension of the threat, with officials condemning what they described as a distorted and self-styled interpretation of islam being propagated by Khawarij elements. Scholars across all schools of thought, officials noted, have declared fighting these groups to be among the highest forms of jihad.

"The massacre of innocent lives, the oppression of women, attacks on mosques and their use for terrorist operations — all of this is antithetical to our religious and social traditions," an official said. "Those who promote such beliefs have no connection to Islam."

IBOs, cross-border strikes

Officials confirmed that Pakistan is simultaneously targeting terrorist hideouts and facilitation centres inside Afghanistan — including border-adjacent launching pads used by both Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna-ul-Hindustan — while also conducting Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) within the country.

More than 200 IBOs are being successfully conducted on a daily basis, officials said.

The ISPR asserted that all strikes are carried out on the basis of verified intelligence and are directed exclusively at militant targets. Officials pushed back strongly against media reports suggesting civilian populations are being targeted, calling such claims not only factually incorrect but a deliberate obfuscation of the Pakistani lives lost to terrorism.

Disinformation campaign flagged

Officials warned that Afghan Taliban social media accounts, along with what they described as Indian-backed media outlets, are actively spreading false narratives since the launch of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. Journalists were urged to exercise caution and adhere to standards of transparent, fact-based reporting.

The ISPR noted that the Ministry of Information and relevant security institutions are regularly briefing the media and the public on operational developments, and that authenticated video reports are being released alongside official statements.

Regional security posture

Responding to concerns about the broader regional environment — particularly developments in Iran — officials dismissed suggestions that Pakistan's security is under threat, saying those making such claims "live in a fool's paradise."

Pakistan, officials said, believes in constructive and positive engagement with all nations and regional powers, while remaining fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all times.

Officials also underscored that full implementation of the National Action Plan and national unity remain indispensable to defeating terrorism once and for all.