Afghan forces' unprovoked firing violates UN Charter, Doha agreement: experts

The recent unprovoked cross-border firing by Afghan forces on multiple Pakistani checkposts has sparked serious concerns among foreign relations and defence experts, who have termed it a blatant violation of the United Nations (UN) Charter and the Doha agreement.

On Saturday night, Afghan troops started indiscriminate firing on Pakistani security posts located in Bajaur, Kurram, Upper Dir, Chitral, Baramcha, and Angoor Adda in South Waziristan.

The Pakistani security forces responded swiftly, successfully repulsing the attacks and inflicting significant losses on the attackers, according to security sources.

Experts have strongly condemned the attacks, stating that the Afghan interim government, led by the Taliban, is failing to uphold its international commitments.

Brigadier (Retd) Mahmood Shah, a senior defence analyst and former secretary for law and order in the erstwhile FATA region, told APP that the attacks were in direct violation of the Doha agreement, under which the Taliban-led Afghan government had pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used for attacks against neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan.

“The presence of banned terror outfits, including the Fitna al-Khawarij, TTP, and their training camps in Afghanistan, shows that the Taliban regime is not serious about implementing the peace commitments it made in Doha,” Shah said.

He emphasised that Pakistan is increasingly left with no alternative but to take defensive and offensive measures to counter threats emanating from Afghan territory.

In a recent press conference in Peshawar, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry issued a stern warning to supporters and facilitators of Fitna al-Khawarij, demanding they surrender or face full-scale military action.

He also criticised the Taliban administration for failing to prevent cross-border infiltration and militant attacks. He said that the Afghan interim government failed to honour the commitment made in the Doha agreement.

Brig Shah added that the Afghan interim Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, cannot deflect from his government’s responsibilities by issuing “irresponsible and irrational” statements, such as those he made against Kashmir during a recent visit to India.

“The Taliban’s failure to combat terrorism and dismantle militant infrastructure within Afghanistan is eroding regional peace, and stability he said.

Experts also expressed alarm over the recent joint communiqué issued by India and Afghanistan, calling it a strategic ploy by New Delhi to drive a wedge between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Brig Shah labelled the communique as against Kashmiris and a “deep-rooted conspiracy” orchestrated by India to exploit current tensions.

He added that such a move not only undermines regional stability but also violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions, especially those relating to the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Kashmir issue remains unresolved as per UN resolutions and must be decided through the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people,” he stated.

He further criticised India’s track record in the region, accusing it of widespread human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Professor Dr Ejaz Khan, an expert in international relations and former chairman of International Relations at the University of Peshawar, said that Pakistan has shown considerable restraint despite being repeatedly targeted by cross-border terror attacks originating from Afghanistan.

“Pakistan had no choice but to take necessary security measures to protect its civilians after the Afghan Taliban government failed to curb the activities of banned Fitnaul Khawarij and TTP,” Dr Khan said.

He accused India of attempting to provoke conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Pakistan in Operation Iron Wall.

Dr Khan said that the Pakistan Air Force had shot down seven Indian warplanes, including Rafale jets, on May 10, which India has yet to recover from diplomatically or militarily.

Professor Dr AH Hilali, former chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, pointed to the aftermath of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan as a contributing factor to the region’s instability.

“The United States left behind arms and equipment worth over $7.2 billion in Afghanistan, which have now fallen into the hands of various militant groups, fueling terrorism in the region,” he said.

Dr Hilali also criticised Afghanistan’s ill diplomatic engagement with India, suggesting that the Afghan foreign minister should have acknowledged Pakistan’s decades-long support, especially in hosting over 4 million Afghan refugees since 1979.

“From transit trade concessions to open hospitals and humanitarian aid, Pakistan has stood by Afghanistan in its times of need. That goodwill is now being undermined by controversial diplomatic moves,” Dr Hilali added.

The experts said the cross-border violence and negative diplomatic posturing of Afghanistan, besides the infiltration of Fitna al-Khwarij, have raised alarms about regional peace and stability.

Experts are calling for urgent international attention to ensure that agreements like the Doha Peace Accord and the UN Charter are not only honoured but also enforced.

As the security situation evolves, both regional diplomacy and security responses are expected to intensify, with Pakistan signalling that it will not tolerate further violations of its sovereignty or threats to its people.