In a post published on X, the ministry accused forces of the Afghan Taliban regime of opening fire across several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It said retaliatory operations were underway in Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur, and claimed "heavy casualties” on the Afghan side, including the destruction of multiple posts and equipment. The statement did not specify casualty figures or provide independent verification.

Separately, Taliban authorities in Kabul offered a sharply different account. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, said on X that Afghan forces had "killed and captured” several Pakistani soldiers during clashes at border outposts. He characterized the fighting as a response to recent Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory earlier this week.

Neither side’s claims could be independently confirmed, and officials in Islamabad and Kabul have not released detailed operational assessments. The Pakistan military has not yet issued a separate statement beyond the ministry’s post.

Tensions along the disputed Durand Line have intensified over the past two years, particularly in border districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Islamabad accuses militant groups of staging cross-border attacks. Taliban has repeatedly denied allowing Afghan soil to be used against Pakistan.

The latest exchanges risk further destabilizing a volatile frontier region already strained by militancy, refugee flows and political mistrust. Diplomatic channels between Islamabad and Kabul remain open, but sustained military escalation could complicate efforts to manage cross-border security cooperation.