Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, recently stated that the military strike on the Barmal district of Paktika province in Afghanistan was an appropriate response to the armed opposition confronting Islamabad.

In a meeting in Islamabad, Sharif warned that Pakistan has, and will continue to deliver a strong and decisive response to cross-border attacks. He emphasized that both internal and external forces are actively working against Pakistan’s stability.

“Today, we are addressing the attack on Pakistan that occurred in recent days, and we responded appropriately,” Sharif said. “There are still operatives and fighters in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, who are plotting against us. We are aware that some who are sitting abroad, posing as friends, are in fact working against Pakistan, which is a serious threat.”

However, Pakistani media have reported that the Prime Minister’s remarks refer to the influence of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which operates from Afghan soil and has faced resistance from Pakistani forces. While Pakistani authorities have described the operation as a defensive measure, local sources and Afghanistan’s Ministry of National Defense said that the Pakistani airstrike on Barmal district led to civilian casualties, including women and children.

In response to Sharif’s comments, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, stated that Pakistan’s issues are internal and that if Islamabad pursues a path of hostility with Afghanistan, it will ultimately face failure.

Stanikzai also issued a warning, asserting: “If Afghanistan were to send the ‘five sons of Mahmud, Abdali, or Babur’ across the border, no one—not even in the Indian Ocean—could stop them.” He further emphasized that Afghan forces have successfully safeguarded the nation’s borders, adding, “If the enemy has looked at it with an evil eye, they have plucked out their eye.”

Experts, however, believe there are contradictions in the views and positions of various Pakistani institutions and officials regarding Afghanistan. While Sharif speaks of military confrontation, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has consistently advocated for diplomacy and expressed a desire for peaceful, friendly relations with Afghanistan.