ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday said that Afghan nationals were involved in several major high-impact terrorist incidents in Pakistan during 2025, as he presented a comprehensive overview of the country’s counter-terrorism operations over the past year.
Addressing a press conference, the military spokesperson stated that the sole purpose of the briefing was to focus on counter-terrorism, which he described as the biggest threat facing Pakistan. He termed 2025 a “landmark and consequential year” in the fight against terrorism, citing unprecedented operational intensity, greater national clarity on the nature of terrorism, international acknowledgement of Pakistan’s stance, and the reinvigoration of the National Action Plan (NAP).
According to the DG ISPR, Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies conducted 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) during 2025, averaging 206 operations per day. Of these, 58,778 were carried out in Balochistan, 14,658 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 1,739 in other regions. He said 5,397 terrorist incidents were reported nationwide, with the majority occurring in KP and Balochistan.
He further shared that 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year, while 1,235 civilians and law enforcement personnel were martyred. A total of 27 suicide bombings took place, including two involving female attackers. Sixteen suicide attacks occurred in KP, ten in Balochistan, and one in Islamabad.
Lieutenant General Chaudhry attributed the rise in terrorism to developments following the 2021 Doha Agreement, stating that Afghanistan had become a hub for multiple terrorist groups. He alleged that the Afghan Taliban failed to fulfill commitments made under the agreement and instead allowed Afghan soil to be used for terrorism against Pakistan. He also claimed that India was providing financial and logistical support to terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
Referring to major attacks in 2025, the DG ISPR said all 78 terrorists involved in 10 high-profile incidents were Afghan nationals and were neutralised by security forces. He stressed that terrorism was not just a fight of the military but a collective struggle of the Pakistani people.
He outlined three key pillars of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism strategy: border engagements, targeted ground operations, and intelligence-driven technical surveillance. Addressing concerns about drone usage, he clarified that armed quadcopters were being used by terrorists, while security forces relied on drones only for surveillance to avoid civilian harm.
Concluding the briefing, the DG ISPR emphasized national unity, stating that the people and the state were aligned against terrorism, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate all forms of extremist violence.
