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In a dramatic escalation of rhetoric,  on Saturday warned both Afghanistan and India of severe consequences amid rising regional tensions, asserting that Pakistan would deliver a “decisive response” to any provocation and would not tolerate the use of Afghan soil for terrorism.

Speaking at the passing-out parade of army cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul, Abbottabad, Munir said, “Afghanistan must choose between peace and chaos. Any proxy using Afghan soil against Pakistan will be raised to dust.” His comments came just a day after Pakistan launched fresh air strikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, targeting what Islamabad described as terrorist hideouts linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

‘Choose Peace, Not Chaos’: Munir’s Warning To Kabul

The Pakistan Air Force strikes, conducted late Friday, came hours after a two-day ceasefire between the two neighbours expired. Islamabad said the operation targeted militants involved in the recent North Waziristan attack that killed several Pakistani soldiers. Afghan officials, however, alleged civilian casualties in the raids, claims Pakistan has denied.

Munir’s statement follows mounting tensions along the border, as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused Afghanistan of becoming a “proxy of India” and conspiring with the TTP to destabilise Pakistan.

Asif warned that “Pakistan can no longer afford relations with Kabul as in the past,” and vowed a “heavy price” from any source of terrorism targeting the country. He also urged all Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan to return home, saying, “Our land and resources belong to 250 million Pakistanis.”

Munir Warns India Of ‘Decisive Response’

In his address, Munir also turned his attention to India, cautioning New Delhi against “any misadventure.”“I advise and firmly caution India’s military leadership that there is no space for war in a nuclearised environment,” he said.“We will never be intimidated or coerced by rhetoric and will respond decisively to even a minor provocation without any qualms.”

Referring to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year, Munir claimed that the Pakistani armed forces had demonstrated “remarkable professionalism and far-reaching capabilities” by “neutralising all threats from a numerically superior adversary.”Munir further accused India of using terrorism as a tool to destabilise Pakistan and reiterated that all “proxies using Afghan soil” would be dealt with severely. He also urged India to resolve “core issues as per international norms”—a reference to the Kashmir dispute—and reaffirmed Islamabad’s “moral and diplomatic support” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Tensions Rise Across the Durand Line

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban seized power in 2021. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of allowing the TTP to operate freely from its territory, an allegation the Taliban reject . According to Pakistan’s interior ministry, more than 10,000 terrorist attacks have occurred since 2021, killing nearly 3,900 people, including civilians and security personnel.

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As tensions rise, both nations insist they are responding to aggression from the other. Kabul’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned Pakistan’s “repeated violations of sovereignty,” warning that such acts could push the region toward a wider conflict.

With inputs from agency.

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