ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week directed authorities to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures countrywide, state media reported, as Pakistan’s armed conflict with Afghanistan intensifies.
The latest clashes between the neighbors erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan earlier this month, drawing sharp criticism from Kabul. Afghanistan’s forces retaliated on Thursday night, firing at Pakistani posts along the border and triggering an armed conflict between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began. Both sides have claimed to inflict massive damage on the other. However, Arab News could not independently verify the claims.
Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to review the overall security situation in the country, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed all relevant federal and provincial institutions to ensure prompt and comprehensive security measures in view of the current situation,” the state media reported on Saturday.
