ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday rubbished reports it had carried out air strikes to target Pakistani Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan, terming them as “utterly baseless” and “malicious.”

The FO’s statement comes in response to reports of Pakistan conducting air strikes in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province at places considered to be strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban or the TTP. 

Afghanistan newspaper “Dasht-e-Subh” ran a story claiming Pakistani fighters bombed targets in Salala neighborhood in the Gushta district vicinity in Nangarhar. Neither the TTP nor the Afghan Taliban have reacted to the report.

Reports of Pakistan conducting air strikes in Afghanistan have surfaced in the wake of heightened tensions between both neighbors as the TTP steps ups attacks against Pakistan’s security forces. Islamabad and Kabul have traded barbs over rising militancy in Pakistan.

Pakistan has threatened cross-border action against militants in Afghanistan if the Taliban fail to take action against them, prompting a sharp reaction from Kabul. Afghanistan has urged Pakistan to avoid such statements and has assured Islamabad it is trying its best to ensure Afghan soil is not used against any country. 

“The Spokesperson categorically rejected the reports as utterly baseless and malicious,” the FO said. 

Pakistan’s National Security Committee— the country’s highest security forum— said earlier this week that it would not allow any country to shelter militants. The forum, without mentioning Afghanistan, also said Pakistan was within its rights to take measures to safeguard its people.