Mosharraf Zaidi says attacks targeted terrorists and were based on accurate intelligence
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Archive
The Ministry of External Affairs (FO) on Wednesday rejected what it termed as “baseless, misleading and unjustified” comments by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Pakistan’s ongoing action against terror infrastructure in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has been carrying out airstrikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan as part of the now temporarily paused Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. On Tuesday, Taliban regime deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat claimed in a post on X that an airstrike had hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, killing up to 400 people in the Afghan capital overnight.
However, Pakistan strongly rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claims, calling them “completely baseless” and part of a broader pattern of disinformation aimed at distorting facts. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had said the attacks carried out on the night of March 16 were “precise, deliberate and professional”, and targeted only military and terrorist infrastructure linked to attacks inside Pakistan.
India’s MEA condemned the incident in a statement issued a day ago.
Read more: Operation Ghazab Lil Haq was temporarily stopped at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye in view of Eidul Fitr: Tarar
Responding to the MEA statement, the FO today said: “Pakistan rejects the baseless, misleading and unjustified statement issued by the Indian MEA regarding Pakistan’s ongoing actions against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan.
“Against the backdrop of India’s active sponsorship of terrorism directed against Pakistan from Afghan soil, as well as its historical role as a saboteur, this statement simply reflects India’s blatant hypocrisy and duplicity.”
He said it must be remembered that the Indian leadership remains unaccountable despite “instrumentalizing Islamophobia for internal electoral gains and perpetrating pogroms against its Muslim population.”
The FO said that just a few weeks ago, its leaders pledged full and unequivocal support for “another occupying power responsible for the ongoing slaughter of thousands of innocent Palestinians,” apparently referring to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expression of solidarity during a visit to Israel.
“It is absurd that a State that has historically undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighboring countries, in violation of international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, comments on the defense of such principles.
“Such statements cannot divert attention from the fact that India has been, and continues, repressing and denying the right to self-determination of Kashmiris in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir in violation of relevant UN resolutions,” it said.
🔊PR No.7️⃣1️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Statement by the Spokesperson on the statement made by the Ministry of External Affairs of India on March 17, 2026 pic.twitter.com/HyjHtTsQOk
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 18, 2026
The FO said India must refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, including those on the UN Security Council sanctions list.
“In this regard, India should stop unjustifiably lamenting Pakistan’s successful counter-terrorism measures,” the FO concluded.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for foreign media, Mosharraf Zaidi, refuted the Afghan Taliban’s claims of attacking a hospital and civilians, adding that Pakistan’s recent attacks in Afghanistan were solely aimed at terrorists and were based on accurate intelligence information, driven entirely by the need to protect its citizens, the state broadcaster reported. Pakistan Television reported.
Read more: CM Bugti says major terror plot foiled after arrest of female suicide bomber
On Tuesday, Taliban regime deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat claimed in a post on X that an airstrike had hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, killing up to 400 people in the Afghan capital overnight. However, Pakistan strongly rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claims, calling them “completely baseless” and part of a broader pattern of disinformation aimed at distorting facts.
An official said Reuters Today the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has put the death toll in the alleged incident at 143.
Zaidi maintained that the target was “Camp Phoenix,” which he described as a long-standing weapons and training facility used by terrorist groups.
“The burden of proof is on those making the accusations,” he said, adding that no credible evidence has been presented to support claims that civilian infrastructure was attacked.
Zaidi noted that Pakistan did not view military action as a long-term solution but as a necessary response.
“We are carrying out a very specific, very selective and very precise campaign against terrorist infrastructure,” he said, adding that operations would continue as long as threats to Pakistani citizens persist.
He further stressed that any pause in counterterrorism operations would depend on “clear and measurable action” against militant networks by the Afghan Taliban.
“Once support for these groups is decisively stopped and the threat eliminated, these attacks will cease,” Zaidi said, stressing that Pakistan’s priority remains the security of its people.
