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Monday, 13 October, 2025 | 19 Rabius Sani, 1447
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 96 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PM vows firm response 23 TROOPS MARTYRED, OVER 200 TALIBAN, TERRORISTS Afghan aggression, KILLED AS PAKISTAN RESPONDS AFGHAN AGGRESSION: ISPR to lauds army for
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29 SOLDIERS ALSO INJURED DURING SKIRMISHES ERUPTED FOLLOWING ATTACK FROM ACROSS BORDER AND INFILTRATION ATTEMPT: ISPR
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21 HOSTILE POSITIONS ON AFGHAN SIDE ALSO BRIEFLY PHYSICALLY CAPTURED AND MULTIPLE TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS RENDERED INOPERATIVE
AFGHAN FORCES OPENED FIRE AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ALONG FRONTIER, INCLUDING ANGOOR ADDA, BAJAUR, KURRAM, DIR, CHITRAL IN KP AND BAHRAM CHAH IN BALOCHISTAN
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PAKISTAN’S FORCES ‘EXERCISED RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENCE AND DECISIVELY REPELLED ASSAULT ALL ALONG BORDER
SAUDI ARABIA, QATAR, IRAN AND CHINA CALL FOR RESTRAINT AFTER CLASHES BROKE OUT LAST NIGHT
Political leaders stand united behind armed forces after Afghan aggression ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/LAHORE staff report
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ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI staff report
T least 23 Pakistani troops embraced martyrdom while over 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorist were killed in fierce overnight clashes along the Pak-Afghan border, the Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday, following an unprovoked attack from the Afghan side. According to the ISPR statement, the confrontation began on the night of October 11-12 when “Afghan Taliban and India-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani border posts,” triggering heavy ex-
Political leaders from across party lines on Sunday strongly condemned Afghanistan’s recent act of aggression along the border and lauded Pakistan’s armed forces for their resolute, swift, and proportionate response that thwarted multiple infiltration attempts and neutralised hundreds of militants. Cross-border skirmishes erupted after Afghan forces opened unprovoked fire at several points along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, and Kurram, with further attacks reported in Dir, Chitral, Baramcha, and other areas along the Durand Line. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations
changes of fire and precision strikes across several flashpoints. The military said its troops “responded decisively in self-defence,” inflicting heavy casualties and destroying multiple Taliban positions along the frontier. Fitna al-Khawarij is the term used by
TTAP urges dialogue to defuse Pak-Afghan tensions, seeks joint Parliament session ISLAMABAD
staff report
The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-ePakistan (TTAP)—a multi-party opposition alliance—on Sunday called for resolving the escalating Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions through dialogue, urging the government to convene a joint session of Parliament to take the nation into confidence on regional security and foreign policy matters. In a statement issued after a high-level meeting in Islamabad, the alliance said, “It is time for prudence and sagacity to take charge to resolve the prevailing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan through dialogue and understanding.” The meeting, chaired by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, reviewed the overall political and foreign situation and discussed the opposition’s future strategy. Those in attendance included PTI’s Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser, Awam Pakistan’s Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Muham-
mad Zubair, Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi, Sajid Tareen, Zain Shah, Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai, and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry. The TTAP said that issues between the two neighboring countries should be settled peacefully through talks, warning that further escalation could harm Pakistan’s security and economic stability. It urged the federal government to brief Parliament on the situation and build a consensus-based national approach. Turning to domestic concerns, the alliance strongly criticized the federal government’s alleged interference in the constitutional process of power transfer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), warning that such moves could further destabilise the already fragile province. It also condemned the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to declare KP Assembly members “independent” ahead of the chief minister’s election, terming it “undemocratic and conducive to horse-trading.” The al-
liance said the step undermined parliamentary integrity and the democratic process. The TTAP further expressed concern over the resurgence of terrorism and unrest in Balochistan and KP, urging state institutions to coordinate with provincial governments and citizens to restore peace and stability. PML-N response Reacting to the statement, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui termed the TTAP’s remarks “shameful and deeply regrettable,” saying the alliance had failed to condemn terrorists or their facilitators at a critical time. He accused the group of maligning security institutions, saying that labeling them discredited reflected a “shallow mindset” about those who had sacrificed their lives for Pakistan’s defense. Siddiqui further said that the same KP government the TTAP wanted consulted had “nurtured terrorists and turned the province into a safe haven.”
PTI’s Sohail Afridi faces trio in race for KP chief minister slot as Assembly votes today PESHAWAR
staff report
The race for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) new chief minister entered its final stage on Sunday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Sohail Afridi and three opposition nominees from the PPP, PML-N and JUIF formally submitted their nomination papers for Monday’s election, following the resignation of outgoing CM Ali Amin Gandapur earlier this week. According to KP Assembly Secretary Syed Muhammad Mahir, the papers of all four candidates—PTI’s Sohail Afridi, Arbab Zarq of the PPP, Sardar Jahan of the PML-N, and Maulana Lutfur Rehman of the JUIF—have been received and approved for contesting the chief minister’s election scheduled for tomorrow. Afridi, a PTI MPA from Bara, was nominated by party founder Imran Khan after Gandapur stepped down amid growing concerns over terrorism in the province. A video shared by the PTI on X showed Afridi signing his nomination pa-
pers, with the caption confirming his candidacy. Speaking to the media, Afridi dismissed allegations by federal ministers that he was in contact with proscribed organizations, saying, “The Centre has declared we are all banned groups, we are all terrorists, and they have filed all FIRs against us.” PTI consults allies, seeks consensus PTI KP President and MNA Junaid Akbar said a consultative session was held in the Speaker’s chambers to finalise election strategy and outreach to other parties. Afridi and senior PTI leaders attended the meeting. Earlier in the day, a PTI delegation led by Junaid Akbar and including Sher Ali Arbab, Ali Khan Jadoon, Shaukat Yousafzai, Malik Adeel Iqbal, and Irfan Saleem visited the Awami National Party’s (ANP) Bacha Khan Markaz headquarters in Peshawar. “A democratic process is going to take place tomorrow, for which we are contacting democratic people,” Junaid said. “The PTI has a numerical majority in KP. We want to elect Sohail Afridi unopposed to
stop undemocratic characters.” ANP KP President Mian Iftikhar Hussain responded that his party “will not be part of any unconstitutional or undemocratic process” and would consult its central leadership before making a decision. The PTI delegation also met Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, with Junaid stating they hoped for a joint decision “like in the past.” Muqam assured that he would consult the federal leadership “as per the traditions of the province” before responding. Imran ordered change citing terrorism surge Outgoing CM Ali Amin Gandapur resigned earlier this week after Imran Khan expressed serious concern over a rise in terrorist incidents in KP. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja confirmed Gandapur’s resignation, saying it was made on the party founder’s directives. “Khan sahib said there is no choice but to make the change in KP’s leadership due to the worsening terrorism situation,” Raja told reporters.
(ISPR), Pakistani forces, acting in selfdefence, killed over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorists belonging to the India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as Fitna al-Khawarij, during an overnight counter-assault. The country’s political leadership—from the president to provincial chief ministers — voiced firm support for the armed forces, praised their professionalism and courage, and paid tribute to the 23 soldiers who embraced martyrdom while defending Pakistan’s borders. They reaffirmed that the entire nation stands united behind the military and demanded that the Taliban rulers in Kabul ensure Afghan soil is never again used for terrorism against Pakistan.
the Pakistani state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Fitna al-Hindustan refers to militant networks allegedly backed by India and operating from Balochistan.
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befitting response ISLAMABAD
staff report
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday strongly condemned Afghanistan’s unprovoked aggression along the Pakistan border, vowing a firm and effective response to any provocation and reiterating that no compromise would be made on the country’s sovereignty and defence. His statement came after the Pakistan Army took control of 19 Afghan border posts in a retaliatory operation against cross-border attacks. Praising the professionalism and courage of Pakistan’s security forces, the prime minister said the nation stood united behind its defenders. “We are proud of the professional capabilities of our armed forces,” he said. “Under the fearless leadership of Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Pakistan Army gave a robust and effective reply to Afghanistan’s aggression. Multiple Afghan posts were destroyed, forcing the attackers to retreat.”
Pakistan warns Kabul of ‘befitting response’ to any future aggression ISLAMABAD
staff report
Pakistan on Sunday warned that any further acts of aggression from Afghanistan would be met with an “unwavering and befitting response,” a day after deadly border clashes left 23 Pakistani troops martyred and over 200 Taliban and affiliated militants killed. In a strongly worded statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said Islamabad valued dialogue and a mutually beneficial relationship with Kabul but would “take all possible measures to safeguard its territory and the lives of its people.” The statement followed overnight skirmishes between Pakistani and Afghan forces, which began late on Saturday and continued into Sunday morning. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the clashes erupted after “unprovoked aggression” from the Afghan side.