Saudi Foreign Minister calls Ishaq Dar over Pak-Afghan tensions

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia – (Web Desk) – Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministers held an urgent phone call on Friday to discuss the rising tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where cross-border clashes have intensified across several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to review the rapidly evolving security situation. According to Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry, both leaders shared their views on regional stability and explored ways to help ease tensions in the wider region.

The high-level diplomatic contact came as Islamabad claimed its armed forces launched strong retaliatory action after what it described as unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban along multiple points of the border.

Pakistani officials said security forces carried out airstrikes and missile attacks in response, claiming that 133 Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 injured. Authorities also stated that 27 Afghan border posts were destroyed, while Pakistani troops took control of nine additional positions during the counteroffensive.

Officials further said that several Taliban fighters abandoned their posts following the strikes. Pakistan also claimed that a large ammunition depot, three battalion headquarters, and one sector headquarters on the Afghan side were destroyed during the operation.

More than 80 tanks, artillery guns and armored personnel carriers were targeted and destroyed. Officials added that Pakistani troops hoisted national flags on several captured Afghan check posts.

44 Afghan Taliban Personnel Killed as Pakistan Responds to Cross-Border Fire

On Thursday evening, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a statement posted on X that its security forces had responded “immediately and effectively” to what it termed unprovoked firing by the Afghan military across multiple locations along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ministry said the Afghan Taliban regime had miscalculated in opening fire and that Pakistan’s response was ongoing in the Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors. Early reports, it added, indicated heavy casualties on the Afghan side, with multiple posts and equipment destroyed.

Strong Pakistani Response After Afghan Taliban Open Fire

“Pakistan will take all necessary measures to ensure its territorial integrity and the safety and security of its citizens,” the statement said, underscoring Islamabad’s resolve to defend its borders.