No tale can weaken the bond between the army and the people; our only narrative is Pakistan, security sources say
Mahmood Khan Achakzai makes his first speech in the National Assembly as Leader of the Opposition on January 19, 2026. SCREENGRAB
Security officials on Wednesday categorically rejected the military’s role in politics, terming the latest statement by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) against the armed forces as “deplorable and based on untruths.” “The opposition leader’s latest 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 made by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who reportedly said that the army belongs to only four districts. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif defended the statement: “While Mahmood Achakzai may have his views, he should not attack the military. The Pakistan Army is not the character of the provincial national army.”
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 between 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, the police or the Frontier Corps but is a battle involving the entire nation. They stressed that lasting success depends on the full implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), which they described as the cornerstone of counter-terrorism across the country.
Read more: Army is national force, not of any district, Asif tells Achakzai
The sources alleged that India is behind what they called “sponsored terrorism” in Pakistan and claimed 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. “Irrespective 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 actually enemies of the Baloch people and the development of the province. They said that the public in Balochistan has increasingly recognized this reality.
The briefing also highlighted progress against smuggling networks, with sources noting that the illegal smuggling of 15 to 20 million liters of Iranian petrol and diesel annually – previously used to finance militant activities – has now been curtailed.
Read also: Daesh-linked Afghan mastermind behind 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 (KP) aimed at addressing security challenges were encouraging and reiterated that the NAP remains key to controlling terrorism in the province as well.
Drawing parallels with earlier national unity, the security officials said Pakistan would defeat terrorists just as it had united under “Marka-e-Haq” to overcome external threats.
They also cited outreach visits to educational institutions as proof that the public, especially the youth, stand firm 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.
Read also: The UNSC report supports 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 killing 36 people. In addition, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Balochistan resulted in the death of 36 civilians, including women and children. In addition, 22 people from the security forces and law enforcement agencies were also killed.
Security forces successfully concluded “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” in Balochistan and conducted a series of coordinated, intelligence-led 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 terrorist networks’ leadership, command and control structures, and operational capabilities.
Pakistan’s accusations against Afghanistan, India for supporting terrorism
Pakistan has repeatedly pointed to a link between Afghanistan and India behind terrorism in the country. The interior minister said earlier this week that the mastermind behind the attack was an Afghan national linked to Daesh.
In November 2024, Lt. Gen. 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 US military equipment worth $7.2 billion during the US withdrawal.
Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that the Afghan regime harbored “non-state actors” who posed a threat to various countries in the region, noting that the Taliban had not established an inclusive state and government after 2021. He stressed that Pakistan’s problem was with the Afghan Taliban regime, not the Afghan people.
Read more: Afghan regime poses threat to region, world: DG ISPR
After the May 2025 standoff with India, Field Marshal Asim Munir had said that Pakistan would never be coerced and that any hostile plans to derail the country’s fight against terrorism would be “comprehensively defeated”.
Last year in August, the annual report of the UN’s 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee Monitoring Team said that outlawed terrorist groups – the BLA, including its Majeed Brigade and the TTP – had “close coordination”.
The report said regional relations remained fragile and that “there was a risk that terrorist groups could exploit these regional tensions.” It added that the TTP had about 6,000 fighters and continued to receive significant logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities (Taleban).
“Some member states reported that the TTP maintained links at the tactical level with ISIL-K or Daesh,” it said. “TTP continued to carry out high-profile attacks in the region, some of which resulted in mass casualties,” the report added.
Read also: breeding ground for terror
The UNSC report said that “some BLA attacks showed a high degree of complexity and brutality”, referring to the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on 11 March 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 KP by mid-2023. The report shed light on close links 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 TTP ranks. This supported Pakistan’s position that an increasing number of Afghan nationals were involved in suicide attacks in the country.
