ISLAMABAD:

Pakistani airstrike on Kabul ammo depot triggered hours of secondary blasts

Amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of his eponymous faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, has called for calm, restraint, and immediate diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

“Pakistan’s security concerns are legitimate,” the influential cleric said, referring to Islamabad’s demand for the Taliban regime in Kabul to rein in terrorists groups, including TTP, Hafiz Gul Bahadur, and BLA, operating from Afghan soil.

However, he also stressed that Afghanistan’s sovereignty and internal challenges must also be respected. He warned that emotional attitude from either side could further complicate relations.

The JUI-F chief urged both countries to adopt a responsible approach based on mutual interests, a reliable security framework, and internationally recognised norms.  “Diplomatic efforts can provide a sustainable solution, whereas unilateral military actions will only deepen the crisis,” he added.

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Maulana Fazl appealed to both governments to exercise patience and restraint, calling for an immediate ceasefire. He also expressed hope that well-wishers of both countries and peace-seeking nations in the region would support peaceful diplomatic interventions.

Pakistani forces have targeted key military installations of the Afghan Taliban regime in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia through effective airstrikes, security sources confirmed in the early hours of Friday. At the same time, the international community has called for restraint and dialogue.

Pakistan has “effectively repulsed” Afghan Taliban insurgents at 53 locations along the border, inflicting heavy losses while exercising restraint to avoid civilian harm, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a press briefing on Friday.

“So far, 274 Taliban insurgents have been killed and over 400 injured,” he said. “Seventy-three posts along the border have been destroyed, while 18 posts are now in our possession.” He added that 115 tanks used by insurgents had also been destroyed during the engagements.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said the operation was ongoing and producing the desired results under the oversight of the government. “The operation continues, and we are achieving the desired results, overseen personally by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” he added.