ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said that over 100 militants were killed in the recent “retributive strikes” launched by Pakistan against Afghanistan, state media reported on Tuesday, vowing that Islamabad is determined to carry out similar actions in future if cross-border attacks persist. 

Pakistan said on Sunday it launched “intelligence-based selective targeting” of seven militant camps along the Afghan border in response to a mosque bombing in Islamabad and violence in the northwestern border districts of Bajaur and Bannu, among other attacks. Authorities say many of the assaults have been carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other allied militant groups that Islamabad alleges are operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, whose government denies this.

A Pakistani security official said the strikes were launched at militant camps in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost provinces. Afghanistan denied Pakistan’s claims, saying Islamabad had killed dozens of civilians, including women and children. Afghanistan’s Defense

Ministry warned Pakistan of retaliation at a “suitable time.”

“The Senate was informed today that over one hundred Khawarij were killed in retributive strikes carried out by the Pakistan Air Force against Fitna Al-Khawarij in Afghanistan,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. 

Pakistan’s military frequently uses the term “Fitna Al-Khawarij” to describe the TTP, which has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani citizens and law enforcers since 2007. 

Chaudhry said Islamabad carried out the strikes after the Afghan administration failed to prevent “terrorists” from using its soil for attacks targeting Pakistan. He said Islamabad had repeatedly shared credible evidence of militants using Afghan territory to carry out attacks against

Pakistan, but Kabul remained unable to curb their actions. 

“He made it clear that Pakistan reserves the right to respond to terrorist activities in self-defense and is determined to carry out similar retributive actions in the future if such activities continue,” Radio Pakistan said. 

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry on Sunday summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to Afghanistan Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani and lodged a protest through a formal démarche in response to the Pakistani military strikes.

Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have escalated since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. Pakistan says cross-border militant attacks have increased since then and has accused the Taliban of failing to honor commitments under the 2020 Doha Agreement to prevent Afghan soil from being used for attacks against other countries.

The Taliban deny allowing such activity and have previously rejected similar accusations. Pakistan also blames India for supporting militant attacks in Pakistan by the TTP and separatist groups in southwestern Pakistan, charges India denies.