KARACHI, Pakistan

Afghanistan’s interim Taliban administration on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s charge d'affaires to formally protest the deaths of 46 people in a bombing by Pakistani fighter jets in eastern Paktika province.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry delivered a “letter of strong protest” to Pakistani diplomat Hafiz Zia Ahmad, a spokesperson for the ministry in Kabul said in a statement.

The bombing, according to the statement, was carried out when Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan was meeting with Taliban officials in Kabul on Tuesday.

Afghanistan, which has a long history of defending itself against major powers, strongly rejects any violation of territorial integrity and is firmly committed to defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the statement.

It added that the Pakistani side has been clearly informed that protecting Afghanistan's national sovereignty is a red line for Kabul and that such actions are highly irresponsible and will inevitably have consequences.

Earlier, Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the interim Taliban administration, said Pakistani jets bombed four locations in Paktika’s Barmal district on Tuesday night, killing 46 people and injuring six, as well as destroying houses, the state-run Bakhtar news agency reported.

According to Kabul, this is Pakistan’s second airstrike inside Afghanistan, after the first in March, which was formally protested by the Taliban administration.

Islamabad has yet to respond to the claims made by Kabul.

However, media reports quoting unnamed Pakistani security officials said the fighter jets targeted camps of the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Islamabad has long accused Kabul of failing to crack down on TTP militants, who have reportedly been operating from Afghanistan.

Kabul denies the charge.

The TTP has carried out deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces, mainly in border regions, in recent months.

Following the airstrikes, the interim Defense Ministry in Kabul said the Taliban administration “will not leave this cowardly act unanswered but rather considers the defense of its territory and territory to be its inalienable right."