Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited on Friday the General Headquarters (GHQ), where he was given a detailed briefing by the military leadership on the prevailing Pakistan–Afghanistan situation. Pakistan forces destroyed more than 73 Afghan Taliban posts and 115 tanks in retaliatory strikes, killing 274 Taliban regime operatives and terrorists and injuring over 400, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a press briefing during the day. According to the military spokesperson, 12 Pakistani soldiers were martyred, 27 sustained injuries and one remains missing in action during the clashes. Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have risen sharply in recent days amid a surge in terrorist violence in Pakistan’s border regions. During his visit to the GHQ, the prime minister directed that a policy of zero tolerance be adopted against the nexus between Fitna al-Khawarij and the Afghan Taliban regime, as well as their subversive activities. “Under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, the Armed Forces of Pakistan are fully prepared at all times to safeguard the country,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He further stated that the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its armed forces for the defense of the homeland.