Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, September 13, 2025, pledged an “uncompromising” and “full-force” response to terrorism after 19 soldiers were killed in recent attacks across Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The Prime Minister’s strong statement followed a series of intense exchanges with militants, which also saw security forces kill dozens of terrorists in counter-operations.
State-run Radio Pakistan reported that Prime Minister Sharif, accompanied by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Bannu to attend a high-level counter-terrorism meeting and participate in the funeral prayers of soldiers killed in the South Waziristan operation. They also visited injured soldiers at Bannu Combined Military Hospital.
During his visit, Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve, stating, “Pakistan’s response to terrorism will continue with full force, and no ambiguity or compromise will be tolerated.” He explicitly accused terrorist leaders and facilitators of operating from Afghan soil with the backing of India. He referred to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as “Fitna al Khwarij” and Balochistan-based groups as “Fitna-al-Hindustan,” terms the state uses to highlight India’s alleged role in destabilization.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the Afghan interim government has been directly told to choose between supporting these militant groups or standing with Pakistan. He highlighted the involvement of “infiltrated Afghan nationals” in recent incidents and stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents currently living in Pakistan. “Pakistan rejects politicisation and misleading narratives on the issue of terrorism,” he added, warning that anyone facilitating or advocating for terrorists or acting as “proxies for India” would be dealt with accordingly.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, earlier reported that 12 soldiers were killed and 13 terrorists eliminated during an intense fire exchange in KP’s South Waziristan district. This incident was part of broader operations from September 10 to 13, which saw a total of 35 militants, identified by the state as “khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij,” eliminated in two separate engagements. Later, the ISPR confirmed seven more soldiers were killed and 10 additional terrorists eliminated on Thursday in Lower Dir.
Overall, the military has intensified its counter-terrorism operations amid a significant uptick in militant activities, primarily in KP and Balochistan, since the TTP broke a ceasefire deal with the government in November 2022. Recent operations include the killing of 14 “Indian-sponsored khwarij” in Mohmand, four in North Waziristan, and one in Bannu district between September 9 and 10. Another four “Indian-sponsored terrorists” were killed in Balochistan’s Mastung. Last month, 50 terrorists were gunned down over a four-day operation thwarting an attempt to cross from Afghanistan into Balochistan.
The Prime Minister lauded the “unity and resilience” of the nation, particularly the people of KP, for “standing like a wall fortified with lead” against “Indian proxies” and the state’s enemies. He affirmed that the government would immediately implement all necessary administrative and legal measures for a more effective response to terrorism.
The ISPR reiterated that intelligence reports “unequivocally confirmed physical involvement of Afghan nationals” in these attacks. “Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” the military stated, affirming its determination to “wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism.”
