‘Make a clear choice’: DG ISPR asks Taliban to choose between militant groups and Pakistan

Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keep watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Durand Line in Gurbuz district of Khost province on February 27, 2026 following overnight cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (Photo by AFP)

Pakistan escalated tensions with Afghanistan, demanding the Taliban choose between Pakistan and terrorist groups. DG ISPR claimed Pakistani forces destroyed 83 Afghan posts, killed 274 Taliban personnel, and targeted 22 locations, while acknowledging Pakistani casualties.

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Pakistan sharply escalated its confrontation with Afghanistan on Friday, with DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry publicly demanding that the Taliban regime choose between Islamabad and what he described as terrorist groups.

“I want to make one thing clear: the oppressive Afghan Taliban regime has to make a clear choice — choose between TTP, BLA, Daesh, Al-Qaeda, terrorists and terrorist organisations and between Pakistan,” the military spokesperson said during a press conference.

“Pakistan has made it clear before, it is not something new,” he said.

“Let it be known that our choice is absolutely clear — it will always be Pakistan over everything.”

The remarks signal a dramatic deterioration in ties between two governments that were once seen as ideological allies following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Pakistan had initially welcomed the Taliban takeover, but relations have since spiralled into open confrontation along the Durand Line.

Lt Gen Chaudhry earlier described the Taliban regime as “the master proxy of terrorist proxies operating out of Afghanistan”.

“This master proxy came into action last night and in coordination with the terrorists of Fitna al khwarij,” he said, accusing Kabul of colluding with anti-Pakistan militant groups.

He also labelled the Taliban an “internationally recognised terrorist organisation” and blamed it for what he called aggression against Pakistan.

“This aggression was done by this master proxy in coordination, in collusion and in support of a terrorist organisation,” he said.

Detailing Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, the DG ISPR claimed that Pakistani forces had destroyed 83 Afghan posts and captured 17. According to him, “so far, in the operation Ghazab lil-Haq, 274 taliban regime personnel and khwarij have been killed”.

“More than 400 have been injured,” he added.

He further asserted that 22 locations in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Langarhar, Khost and Paktika were targeted. “All these targets were very carefully selected based on intelligence,” he said. “They are military targets and great care was exercised so that there is no civilian collateral damage.”

He claimed that “all their posts, their gun positions, their tank positions were taken out. Their battalion headquarters and sector headquarters were taken out.”

At the same time, he acknowledged Pakistani losses, stating that “so far, 12 brave sons of soil have embraced martyrdom while safeguarding the territorial integrity of Pakistan”, with 27 injured and one soldier missing.