India May Be Planning a False Flag Operation via Sea Route, Warns DG ISPR

Islamabad: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (**DG ISPR**) Lieutenant General **Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry** has warned that intelligence assessments suggest **India may be planning a false flag operation through the sea route**.

Speaking to senior journalists in Islamabad, the DG ISPR dismissed claims that Pakistan had allowed the **United States to use its soil for drone strikes in Afghanistan**, calling such reports **baseless Afghan propaganda**.

During the briefing, he also shared **evidence linking Afghan elements to recent terrorist activities in Pakistan**, stating that **Afghan soldiers are among those involved in cross-border terrorism**.

> “In the past three to four months, several cross-border infiltration attempts from Afghanistan were foiled, during which a large number of terrorists were killed — around 60% of them were Afghan nationals. Among those neutralized were also soldiers of the Afghan army,” he revealed.

General Sharif said that while **Pakistan still seeks to resolve issues with the Taliban through dialogue**, the **Doha and Istanbul meetings** focused solely on one key agenda: **ending cross-border terrorism**. He added that **6,200 intelligence-based operations (IBOs)** have been conducted in this effort, resulting in the elimination of **1,667 terrorists**, including **128 Afghan nationals**.

The DG ISPR further highlighted that **terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is closely tied to narco-economics**, explaining that militants profit heavily from **opium cultivation**.

> “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, over **12,000 acres of poppy are being cultivated**, with profits ranging between **1.8 to 3.2 million rupees per acre**. Local politicians and influential figures are involved, and Afghan Taliban protect these activities because the opium is transported to Afghanistan, where it is processed into drugs like crystal meth,” he said.

He confirmed that the **Tirah Valley operation**, supported by **drones, ANF, and Frontier Corps**, destroyed large poppy fields, and that **diesel smuggling from Iran has been nearly eradicated**.

On the question regarding **Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi**, the DG ISPR said:

> “I am a public servant and cannot make allegations against anyone. Suhail Afridi is the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — that’s all I can say.”

Reiterating Pakistan’s position on U.S. drone operations, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif categorically denied any **agreement allowing American drones to launch attacks in Afghanistan from Pakistani territory**, terming such accusations **false and unfounded**.

> “There is no arrangement, understanding, or permission granted to the U.S. to conduct drone strikes in Afghanistan from Pakistan,” he asserted.