The security personnel are seen busy in an operation. — ISPR/File

• Military neutralises drones on June 30, says ISPR.
• Sophisticated countermeasures used to down drones.
• ISPR terms it Taliban’s irresponsible behaviour.

The Pakistani military has downed four drones launched by the Afghan Taliban along the Balochistan border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the military’s media wing said that the Taliban regime had launched the “rudimentary” drones as part of their patronisation and support of terrorist outfits operating from inside their controlled territories.

Islamabad and Kabul’s relations have deteriorated as the Taliban regime continues to support terrorists, who launch cross-border attacks, resulting in the martyrdom of civilians and security personnel in Pakistan.

Demonstrating high operational readiness, the ISPR said, Pakistan’s robust air defence network immediately picked up the hostile aerial platforms and successfully neutralised all four incoming drones using sophisticated countermeasures.

“Due to the swift and effective response, the malicious attempts were effectively thwarted,” the ISPR said, noting that such gimmicks of the Afghan Taliban regime are aimed at misleading the Afghan population suffering under their oppressive regime.

It added that the Afghan Taliban should realise that their irresponsible behaviour is only adding to the hardships of the Afghan people.

Instead of trying to sedate their population through such antics and hollow rhetoric, the ISPR said, they should eschew sponsorship of terrorism and adhere to the principle of peaceful coexistence.

“However, if the Afghan Taliban continue to provoke Pakistan, they would receive a befitting response which would cost them heavily. The Pakistan Armed Forces remain fully vigilant and capable of defending every inch of the motherland.”

“Any misadventures or cross-border provocations threatening the sovereignty of Pakistan and endangering our people will continue to be met with swift, decisive, and overwhelming responses under Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq.”

Notably, Pakistan has also witnessed a spike in terror activities since 2021, when the Taliban came into power. Most recently, the Foreign Office issued a demarche to the Afghan Charge d’ Affaires over the terrorist attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi.

The attack martyred three Rangers personnel. The demarche was issued in light of the fact that Afghan nationals, including one apprehended alive, participated in this attack, proving yet again that Afghan soil and Afghan nationals continue to be used to orchestrate terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.