Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Afghan Taliban attacked Pakistan under India's influence. He stated that Pakistan was forced to respond strongly. Speaking at a federal cabinet meeting, he said Pakistan shares a long border with Afghanistan and has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the Taliban regime in Afghanistan recently launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan at India’s behest as the neighbouring countries faced

In a sign of the difference in the two countries’ standings, while IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva dubbed India ‘a key growth engine’ for the world and praised ‘bold’ reforms, cash-strapped Pakistan has bagged another bailout loan from the IMF to the tune of $1.

Petal Gahlot, a first secretary at India’s UN Mission, ridiculed Sharif’s “absurd theatrics,” saying, “If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangers look like victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it.”

The latest clashes follow weekend violence that killed dozens and was the worst fighting between the neighbors since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021.

The IMF has agreed to release $1.2 billion to Pakistan following a staff-level agreement after several days of talks in Islamabad.

US President Donald Trump confuses Iran with India while claiming he used tariffs to stop war with Pakistan: Watch video

According to the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, the TruVal Rating of the Indian Air Force is 69.4. Meanwhile, that of China is 63.8.