Early on Friday night, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, after the neighbouring country opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In response, leaders across the political spectrum were united in their stance, lauding the country’s armed forces and said any aggression from Kabul would be responded to firmly. President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan will not compromise on peace and territorial integrity. “Our armed forces’ response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response — and no one will be beyond reach,” he said. In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the people and armed forces of Pakistan were always ready to protect the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. “There will be no compromise on the defence of the beloved homeland and every aggression will be met with a befitting reply,” he said. “The Pakistani armed forces are equipped with professional capabilities, high training and effective defence strategies and are fully capable of dealing with any internal or external challenge,” PM Shehbaz said. He noted that while Pakistan has always promoted peace, the integrity of the country will not be compromised, and the Pakistani armed forces will resolutely confront every aggression. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said: “Our brave armed forces are currently delivering a crushing response to the proxy Taliban and Afghan aggression from India. Defeat is the enemy’s inevitable fate, God willing.” In a post on X, he also called on the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the federation and other provinces in defending the homeland. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, in a post on X, strongly condemned Afghan Taliban’s unprovoked firing along the Pak-Afghan border in KP. He said it “has been met with an immediate and effective response” by Pakistan’s security forces under the command of Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. “Pakistan will defend its territorial integrity and ensure the safety of its citizens at all costs,” he noted, adding the “safe heavens of terrorists in Afghanistan will not be spared at any cost”. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said, “Long live Pakistan.” Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, shared a verse from the Holy Quran, adding: “Long live Pakistan.” National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq strongly condemned the unprovoked aggression by Afghanistan along the Pak-Afghan border, and paid tribute to the security forces for their immediate and effective retaliation. “Afghanistan has become a proxy of India and is destabilising peace in the region, he said, adding: “Afghanistan, at India’s behest, is carrying out terrorist activities against Pakistan.” “The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its security forces for the protection of national sovereignty and security,” the NA speaker said. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said that while they were willing to “establish peace with our neighbours wherever possible, but we will never hesitate to counter the threats posed to Pakistan from their side”. “The full response to Afghanistan’s occupation and aggression against Pakistan will be given. Pakistan’s security forces, God willing, will defend their homeland with the prayers of the nation—our prayers and support are with them. Long live Pakistan!” he said.