ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information ministry this week rejected allegations by Afghanistan that it had targeted civilian infrastructure in the country’s Kunar province, accusing the Taliban government of resorting to propaganda against Islamabad as tensions persist.
Afghanistan government’s Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat on Monday accused Pakistani forces of targeting schools, a health center, mosques and the homes of locals in Kunar’s Dangam district in fresh attacks. He said the attacks killed three civilians and injured 14.
His allegation comes amid renewed border skirmishes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, who have remained engaged in a military conflict since February.
Pakistan’s information ministry’s “Fact Checker” account wrote on Monday that the accusations from Fitrat emerged after cross-border firing from Afghanistan killed nine Pakistani women and children in the northwestern Bajaur district this week.
“The timing indicates a reactive propaganda effort following Pakistan’s release of irrefutable evidence and widespread public condemnation that embarrassed the Afghan regime,” the information ministry wrote.
Screenshot of Fact checker MoIB X post
The ministry further said that the images shared by Fitrat show damage “inconsistent” with artillery impact, pointing out that the roofs of the places highlighted were intact. It said that this indicated “manual or staged destruction” by Afghan forces to blame Pakistan.
“The timing indicates a reactive propaganda effort following Pakistan’s release of irrefutable evidence and widespread public condemnation that embarrassed the Afghan regime,” the information ministry said.
Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been strained since Pakistan has suffered a sharp rise in militant attacks after the Afghan Taliban seized power in 2021.
Pakistan blames the Afghan Taliban government of facilitating these attacks on its territory, alleging that militants based in Afghanistan carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations and urges Islamabad to focus on resolving its security challenges by itself.
Fighting between both sides has effectively closed the border between the two countries for trade and the movement of people since October last year.
