Fazlur Rehman Questions Pakistan’s Cross-Border Strikes, Cites India’s Operation Sindoor

A senior Pakistani political leader has publicly questioned Islamabad’s military rationale for conducting cross-border strikes, drawing a pointed comparison with India’s recent Operation Sindoor.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), criticised the Pakistan Army under Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir for carrying out military operations inside Afghanistan that, he said, have resulted in civilian casualties. He argued that Pakistan cannot justify such actions while simultaneously objecting to India’s cross-border strikes targeting militant infrastructure.

“If you say that we attacked our enemy in Afghanistan and justify this, then India can also say that it attacked Bahawalpur, Muridke and the headquarters of groups responsible for attacks in Kashmir,” Fazlur Rehman stated. He further asked how Islamabad could oppose India’s actions while defending similar operations across the Afghan border.

Reference to Operation Sindoor

His remarks were a direct reference to Operation Sindoor, India’s pre-dawn missile strikes conducted on May 7 against nine alleged terror facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Among the targets were the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold in Bahawalpur and a Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke.

New Delhi described the operation as a retaliatory response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed by terrorists linked to a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot.

Rising Tensions Along the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated significantly since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghan authorities of providing sanctuary to militant groups responsible for attacks inside Pakistan — allegations that Kabul denies.

Border clashes between the two countries have intensified in recent months. India has also expressed concern over reports of civilian casualties arising from Pakistan’s military actions in Afghanistan.

“We have seen reports of border clashes in which several Afghan civilians have been killed. We condemn such attacks on innocent Afghan people,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Longstanding Criticism

Fazlur Rehman has long been critical of Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy and has previously offered to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul during periods of heightened tension. His latest remarks underscore growing domestic debate within Pakistan over the consistency and consequences of its cross-border security strategy.

The comments also highlight the broader regional complexity surrounding counterterrorism operations, sovereignty, and the evolving security dynamics in South Asia.