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The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday confirmed that the temporary pause in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq has ended and the military campaign has resumed. The operation, which targets the Afghan Taliban, will continue “until its objectives are achieved,” FO Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said during his weekly press briefing.
The operation was launched on the night of February 26 after cross-border firing by the Afghan Taliban. “Operation Ghazab lil-Haq is ongoing. It is a precise, targeted operation directed against terrorist leadership, their support networks, command structures, and facilitators of these terrorist acts within the Taliban regime and in Taliban-controlled areas,” Andrabi stated.
A temporary pause was observed in deference to Eidul Fitr celebrations and in response to requests from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Qatar. “The pause concluded at midnight between March 23 and 24. Operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq continue now until the Afghan Taliban review their misplaced priority of supporting terror infrastructure over the welfare of their own people,” Andrabi added.
Context and Regional Implications
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had announced the pause on March 18, emphasizing that it was a gesture in good faith and in line with Islamic norms. During the same period, the Afghan Taliban also declared a temporary suspension of their military operations against Pakistan. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said their decision was made following requests from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Qatar.
The resumption of operations comes amid a rise in terrorism in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, especially those linked to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Officials note that these appeals have largely gone unheeded.
Recently, a group of clerics from Pakistan and Afghanistan appealed to authorities on both sides to extend the pause in hostilities to Eidul Azha. “Our position is anchored in this broad policy statement,” Andrabi said, reinforcing that Pakistan will continue its military campaign until the Taliban stop supporting terrorism and prioritize the welfare of the Afghan people.
