Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has rejected claims of any agreement between Pakistan and the United States regarding drone operations in Afghanistan, calling such reports “completely baseless.”
Speaking to senior journalists in Rawalpindi on Monday, Lt Gen Chaudhry stated, “Pakistan has no such understanding with the United States, and the Taliban government has not filed any formal complaint regarding drones.”
He further noted that the Ministry of Information has already clarified the issue multiple times. “There is absolutely no arrangement that allows drones to operate from Pakistan into Afghanistan,” the DG ISPR stressed.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that the Taliban regime facilitating terrorists and Pakistan had made it clear to the Taliban during the Istanbul talks that it was their responsibility to control terrorism and to explain how they would do so.
“These were our people — when we launched operations against them, they fled to Afghanistan. Hand them over to us, and we will deal with them under the Constitution and the law,” he said.
Military spokesman said that Pakistan still wants to resolve issues with the Afghan Taliban regime. He said discussions in Doha and Istanbul were held on a single-point agenda — ending cross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan.
He added that the main problem lies in the Afghan Taliban’s failure to implement the Doha Agreement. “In Doha, the Taliban had agreed with the United States that a Loya Jirga would be convened to form a representative government in Afghanistan. The Taliban have not fulfilled that promise,” he said.
“The solution to the problem lies in establishing a representative government in Afghanistan,” DG ISPR stated. He further said Pakistan disagrees with the attitude of the Afghan Taliban leadership, which has violated the Doha Agreement.
‘We have other ways to deal with situation’
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistan desires peace and wants to resolve issues with the Afghan Taliban through dialogue. “We want peace and a negotiated settlement,” he said. “But if talks fail, we will resolve the problem ourselves. In recent days, we have already demonstrated that we are capable of doing so.”
He added that Pakistan had agreed to mediation efforts only at the request of a few third parties. “It is better that the Afghan Taliban resolve issues through peaceful talks. Otherwise, we have other ways to deal with the situation,” he warned.
During talks with senior journalists, Lt Gen Chaudhry revealed that Afghan military personnel were also involved in recent terrorist incidents inside Pakistan. “In the past three to four months of clashes, 112 foreign terrorists were killed, including 206 Afghan soldiers,” he said.
‘62,113 IBOs carried out so far this year’
He stated that a significant number of terrorists killed in border regions were Afghan nationals. “Afghan Taliban, the Baloch Liberation Army, and Khwarij elements are relocating their bases from border areas to residential zones,” he said, adding that “the purpose of this relocation is to use civilians as human shields.”
He further disclosed details of counterterrorism operations conducted in 2025, stating that 62,113 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) had been carried out so far this year, averaging 208 IBOs per day. He said there had been 4,373 terrorist incidents in 2025, during which 1,667 terrorists were killed, including 128 Afghan nationals.
‘Local politicians, influential figures involved in cultivation of poppy’
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, said that terrorism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is directly linked to the narco-economy. “Around 12,000 acres of land in K-P have been used for poppy cultivation,” he revealed. “Each acre yields a profit of between Rs1.8 million and Rs3.2 million.”
He added that local politicians and influential figures are also involved in the cultivation of poppy. “The Afghan Taliban protect these activities because the poppy is transported to Afghanistan, where it is processed into ice and other narcotics,” he said.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that due to military operations in the Tirah Valley, poppy crops were destroyed through coordinated efforts involving drones, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), and the Frontier Corps (FC). He further stated that terrorist groups also profit from the use of non-custom paid vehicles and the smuggling of Iranian oil.
‘Those calling for talks with Taliban should go to Afghanistan’
The spokesperson for the Pakistan Army said that If the K-P government talks about negotiating with terrorists, that cannot happen — it only creates confusion.
“The Taliban play football with the severed heads of our security personnel. How can there be talks with such people?” he remarked.
The DG ISPR added that unity among scholars, the media, and political leaders was essential for the country’s stability. “Our religious scholars, media, and politicians must speak with one voice — only then can we make the right decisions,” he said.
He said Pakistan responded after Afghan forces launched an unprovoked attack on a Pakistani post in October.
“They lied that we captured their tank, although it was a Russian tank,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said, referring to Afghan claims. He added that Afghan forces themselves destroyed Bab-e-Dosti. “They blew up Bab-e-Dosti and then claimed we destroyed it,” he said.
Lt Gen Chaudhry questioned those in Pakistan sympathetic to Afghanistan, urging them to consider what the Afghan side actually wants. “People who love Afghanistan should ask themselves what these people want,” he said.
He ruled out talks with elements that target Pakistanis. “Should we negotiate with people who are killing our people?” he asked. He suggested that those advocating dialogue might be better off going to Afghanistan. “For them, it would be better if they went to Afghanistan — that place is more suitable for them,” he added.
‘Afghan Taliban were never our darlings’
DG ISPR said that Pakistan had crushed terrorism by 2018, but later, certain quarters advocated reopening an office for the Taliban — a decision he described as misguided.
“Do you not remember who suggested opening an office for the Taliban?” Lt Gen Chaudhry asked while speaking journalists. “We never made anyone our darling; the Afghan Taliban were never our darlings.”
He stressed that the Pakistani state could not sit with non-state actors. “It is not possible for the state of Pakistan to sit and negotiate with non-state entities,” he said.
Referring to the Doha peace process, the DG ISPR said the Taliban initially agreed to Pakistan’s points but later backtracked. “In Doha, they would agree to the draft and then say they couldn’t sign it yet — that they needed to make a phone call first,” he revealed.
Lt Gen Chaudhry added that the Taliban’s reluctance to honour commitments during the Doha negotiations reflected their inconsistency and lack of seriousness in pursuing genuine peace.
‘Governor’s rule in K-P not our matter’
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said that the military would not reply to statements by K-P ministers and would instead remain focused on its operations.
“They do politics; let them run their narrative. We will not compromise on our performance,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said, referring to remarks by provincial ministers.
He also defended the army chief’s discretion over meetings. “If the army chief did not summon the chief minister of K-P, that is his prerogative — he can call whom he wishes,” he said, adding that there had been collective agreement in the army chief’s jirga that the force’s ongoing operations were correct.
On questions about the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in K-P, the DG ISPR said the matter fell to the federal government. “That is not for us; it is the responsibility of the federal government,” he said.
He reiterated the military’s stance on militant targets. “We take action against those who attack mosques and madrasas,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said.
Source: Express Tribune