Pakistan Rebukes UK Envoy Over One-Sided Border Violence Comments

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has strongly rejected remarks by the British Special Representative for Afghanistan, Richard Lindsay, regarding the ongoing border hostilities with the Afghan Taliban regime, calling his comments "one-sided" and devoid of understanding of ground realities.

The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi issued a detailed response on Saturday to Lindsay's social media post, which had expressed concern over violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including reported strikes in Afghanistan's Kunar province. Lindsay had called for steps to protect civilian lives and prevent further escalation .

52 Civilians Martyred, 84 Injured Since March Ceasefire

Andrabi revealed that despite Pakistan's goodwill gesture of a temporary pause announced in March 2026 for Eid ul Fitr, cross-border aggression from the Afghan side has continued unabated .

"Since the pause, indiscriminate and unprovoked cross-border attacks by the Afghan Taliban, and terrorist activities by Afghan Taliban-supported Indian proxies inside Pakistan, have resulted in the shahadat (martyrdom) of 52 civilians and 84 injuries," the Foreign Office spokesperson stated .

The FO emphasized that Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint while responding effectively by precisely targeting Afghan Taliban posts and terrorist support infrastructure. Multiple infiltration attempts from the Afghan side have also been thwarted .

Afghan Civilian Casualty Claims Lack Credibility

Regarding reports of Afghan civilian casualties from Pakistan's counterterrorism operations, the Foreign Office categorically rejected such claims as lacking evidential credibility .

"Such unwarranted remarks, without linking them to the root cause of terrorism, do not offer a balanced and objective perspective," Andrabi said, urging international representatives to develop a deeper understanding of regional dynamics and Pakistan's principled stance .

The FO spokesperson highlighted Pakistan's "unparalleled sacrifices rendered by the people of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism," calling for international recognition of these sacrifices rather than selective condemnation .

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq and Ongoing Tensions

The latest diplomatic rebuke comes against the backdrop of escalating hostilities along the 2,600-kilometer Durand Line since late February 2026 when Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab Lil Haq in response to repeated cross-border attacks by Afghan Taliban forces and TTP terrorists operating from Afghan soil .

Recent incidents include:

• April 27, 2026: Afghan Taliban forces shelled civilian areas adjacent to Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, injuring five civilians 

• March-April 2026: Nine civilians martyred and 12 injured in Bajaur district due to cross-border shelling 

• Daily attacks: Security sources report continued shelling of residential areas, including targeting of children playing cricket 

UN Reports Contrast with Pakistan's Position

While Pakistan dismisses Afghan civilian casualty claims, the United Nations has documented dozens of civilian casualties on the Afghan side. UNAMA reported that strikes on Afghanistan's Kunar province on April 27 resulted in at least seven civilians killed and 85 injured, with a university among the sites hit .

UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has called for "prompt, independent and thorough investigations" of the incidents, stating that civilians must always be protected and perpetrators held accountable .

Pakistan's Consistent Position: Address Root Causes

The Foreign Office has consistently maintained that the international community must address the root cause of the violence: the Afghan Taliban regime's continued harboring of terrorist organizations on its soil. This includes:

• Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) responsible for thousands of attacks inside Pakistan

• Fitna al-Khwarij - Indian-sponsored proxy terrorist networks

• Al-Qaeda and other designated terrorist groups operating with impunity under Taliban protection

Andrabi reiterated that such "unwarranted remarks" from international representatives, without linking them to the root cause of terrorism, fail to offer a balanced perspective .

The Question of International Silence

The Foreign Office's statement also implicitly criticized the international media's selective reporting. Despite 52 Pakistani civilians martyred and 84 injured since late March, the same level of international concern and media coverage has not been extended to Pakistan's civilian losses.

Pakistan continues to urge the international community to recognize ground realities and apply consistent standards when addressing civilian casualties on both sides of the border.