No narrative can weaken the bond between the army and the people; our only narrative is Pakistan, say security sources
Mahmood Khan Achakzai delivers his first speech in the National Assembly as Leader of the Opposition on January 19, 2026. SCREENGRAB
Security officials on Wednesday categorically rejected military role in politics and termed recent statement by the opposition leader in National Assembly (NA) against the armed forces as “regrettable and based on falsehoods.” “The opposition leader’s recent statement against the Pakistan Army is highly regrettable. No narrative can weaken the bond between the army and the people. Our only narrative is Pakistan,” said a statement issued by security sources.
“The statement comes in response to remarks by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who purportedly said that the army belongs to only four districts. Defending the statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, ‘While Mahmood Achakzai may hold his views, he should not attack the military. The Pakistan Army is not the army of any province or district. Its character is national.'”
During a briefing in Lahore with media representatives, security officials stressed that Pakistan’s fight against terrorism requires national unity and collective resolve beyond the security forces alone. However, they stated that dialogue among political parties is their democratic right, but the military has no role in politics.
Security sources added that the campaign against terrorism is not limited to the armed forces, police, or Frontier Corps, but is a struggle that involves the entire nation. They emphasised that lasting success depends on full implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), which they described as the cornerstone of counterterrorism efforts across the country.
Read More: Army is national force, not of any district, Asif tells Achakzai
The sources maintained that India is behind what they termed “sponsored terrorism” inside Pakistan, claiming that external support continues to fuel militant activities. They further stated that the attacker involved in the recent Tralai Imambargah incident had received training in Afghanistan.
Security officials called for decisive action against both internal and external elements involved in terrorism, urging Pakistanis to rise above political, ethnic, linguistic, or sectarian divisions. “Regardless of political or religious affiliation, the nation must stand united against terrorism,” the sources said, adding that unity is essential to defeat all forms of extremism.
Referring to Balochistan, the officials claimed that militant groups operating under the guise of deprivation narratives are, in fact, enemies of the Baloch people and the province’s development. They said the public in Balochistan has increasingly recognised this reality.
The briefing also highlighted progress against smuggling networks, with sources noting that the illegal smuggling of 15 to 20 million litres of Iranian petrol and diesel annually—previously used to finance militant activities—has now been curtailed.
Also Read: Daesh-linked Afghan mastermind of Islamabad imambargah attack in custody
Good governance was described as a critical factor in eliminating terrorism at its roots. The security officials added that recent meetings in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) aimed at addressing security challenges were encouraging, reiterating that the NAP remains key to controlling terrorism in the province as well.
Drawing parallels with past national unity, the security officials said Pakistan would defeat terrorists just as it had united during “Marka-e-Haq” to overcome external threats.
They also cited outreach visits to educational institutions as evidence that the public, particularly the youth, stands firmly with the Pakistan Army. The security officials concluded by stating that all legal and court-related matters must be decided strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law by the judiciary.
Also Read: UNSC report endorses Pakistan’s claims of increased TTP attacks from Afghan soil
Pakistan is currently facing a wave of terrorism, with a suicide blast at an Imambargah in Islamabad last week claiming the lives of 36 people. Additionally, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Balochistan resulted in the deaths of 36 civilians, including women and children. Moreover, 22 personnel from the security forces and law enforcement agencies were also killed.
Security forces successfully concluded “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” in Balochistan, carrying out a series of coordinated, intelligence-driven operations against Indian-sponsored terrorist elements. As a result of these well-coordinated engagements and subsequent clearance operations, 216 terrorists were killed, significantly degrading the leadership, command-and-control structures, and operational capabilities of terrorist networks.
Pakistan’s allegations against Afghanistan, India of supporting terrorism
Pakistan has repeatedly pointed to an Afghanistan–India nexus behind terrorism in the country. The interior minister said earlier this week that the mastermind of the attack was an Afghan citizen linked to Daesh.
In November 2024, Inter-Services Public Relations Director-General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had issued a warning that the Afghan regime was a threat not just to Pakistan but to the entire region and the world, citing the abandonment of $7.2 billion worth of American military equipment during the US withdrawal.
Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that the Afghan regime was harbouring “Non-State Actors” who posed a threat to various countries in the region, noting the Taliban’s failure to establish an inclusive state and government post-2021. He stressed that Pakistan’s issue was with the Afghan Taliban regime, not the Afghan people.
Read More: Afghan regime poses threat to region, world: DG ISPR
After the conflict with India in May 2025, Field Marshal Asim Munir had said that Pakistan would never be coerced, and that all inimical designs to derail the country’s counterterrorism efforts would be “comprehensively defeated”.
Last year in August, the UN’s 1988 Taliban sanctions committee monitoring team annual report said outlawed terrorist groups — BLA, including its Majeed Brigade, and TTP— had “close coordination”.
The report said regional relations remained fragile and that “there was a risk that terrorist groups might exploit these regional tensions.” It added that the TTP had approximately 6,000 fighters and continued to receive substantial logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities (the Taliban).
“Some member states reported that the TTP maintained tactical-level connections with ISIL-K or Daesh,” it said. “TTP continued to carry out high-profile attacks in the region, some of which incurred mass casualties,” the report added.
Also Read: The breeding ground for terror
The UNSC report said “some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality”, citing the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on March 11, 2025, which killed 31 people, including 21 hostages.
In 2023, a UN report also revealed that the outlawed TTP had established a new base in K-P in mid-2023. The report shed light on close ties not only between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban but also with anti-Pakistani groups and al Qaeda.
The report further revealed that some Taliban members had also joined the TTP, perceiving it as a religious obligation to provide support. Interlocutors reported that TTP members and their families received regular aid packages from the Taliban.
Importantly, the UN report noted a significant increase in Afghan nationals in the TTP ranks. This supported Pakistan’s stance that a growing number of Afghan nationals were involved in suicide attacks in the country.
