ISLAMABAD, October 16: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir met with President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency on Wednesday, where the two discussed the prevailing internal and external security challenges confronting the country amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The meeting took place hours after Pakistani security forces repelled a cross-border attack in Balochistan, reportedly killing 15 to 20 Afghan Taliban fighters, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). This marks the third major skirmish between the two countries in a single week, following earlier clashes in Kurram and Chaman.
A statement from the President’s Secretariat said the army chief briefed the president on “Pakistan’s overall internal and external security landscape,” with a specific focus on the “aggressive and provocative actions” by the Afghan Taliban regime and Pakistan’s “measured and befitting response.”
President Zardari, in turn, reaffirmed that Pakistan would defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs, expressing full confidence in the capability and preparedness of the Armed Forces.
PRESIDENT’S SECRETARIAT
(Media Wing)Press Release
President and Field Marshal Discuss Internal and External Security Situation
ISLAMABAD, October 15, 2025: Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr… pic.twitter.com/4FwTALvQrU
— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) October 15, 2025
“The president lauded the armed forces for their vigilance and professionalism in defending the nation’s frontiers,” the statement read.
Later in the day, President Zardari also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation to review matters of national and regional importance. The two leaders held a one-on-one discussion to align on key policy directions, with Shehbaz briefing the president on his recent visits to Egypt and Malaysia, and his diplomatic outreach for peace in Gaza.
Prime Minister @CMShehbaz called on President @AAliZardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr this evening.
Read More: https://t.co/uzYEbf4UBz pic.twitter.com/04MrMiqVc3
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) October 15, 2025
According to the ISPR, the recent wave of violence has claimed the lives of 23 Pakistani soldiers, with 29 injured, while more than 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants have reportedly been neutralised in Pakistani counterstrikes.
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The worsening security situation has once again strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul, with Pakistan reiterating its longstanding demand that the Taliban prevent terror groups from operating on Afghan soil — a claim Afghanistan continues to deny.
