ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday announced a “temporary pause” in its military operation against Afghanistan ahead of Eid Al-Fitr, calling its gesture in line with Islamic norms while warning of a forceful response to any cross-border attacks, as its military said it used precision-guided munitions to avoid civilian casualties.
The two countries have been locked in their worst fighting in decades, with Islamabad accusing the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies.
Tensions between the two countries rose further this week after Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of targeting a Kabul hospital via airstrikes Monday night, saying over 400 people were killed and 250 were injured.
However, a top army officer defended the strike on a local news channel, saying it targeted ammunition storage and drone facilities.
“In view of the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, upon its own initiative as well as on the request from the brotherly Islamic countries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Türkiye, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has decided to announce temporary pause amidst ongoing ‘Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq’ against the terrorists and their support infrastructure in Afghanistan,” Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said in a post on X.
