KEY POINTS
- Pakistan urged the Afghan Taliban to act against terror groups operating from Afghan soil.
- Islamabad demanded a full investigation into cross-border terrorist attacks.
- Pakistan summoned the Afghan Deputy Head of Mission to lodge a strong protest over cross-border terror attacks.
- Islamabad accused the Afghan Taliban regime of facilitating the banned TTP terrorist group.
- Pakistan said Afghan Taliban regime is violating assurances not to allow Afghan soil to be used for terrorism.
- Pakistan warned it would take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday demanded that the Afghan Taliban regime carry out a full investigation and take decisive action against the “perpetrators and facilitators” of terrorist attacks launched from Afghan territory, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned in the “strongest possible terms” today’s terrorist attack by the “Khwarij group, Kharji Gul Bahadur”, on a Pakistan military camp in North Waziristan district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Four Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attack, the ministry stated.
Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack. “To convey our strong demarche, the Afghan Deputy Head of Mission was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the ministry’s spokesperson said in his statement.
Afghan Taliban regime’s support for terror groups
The ministry conveyed Pakistan’s grave concern over the continued support and facilitation provided by the Afghan Taliban regime to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group, “enabling them to carry out terrorist attacks against Pakistan military and civilian population” along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and in adjoining areas, the spokesperson said.
Pakistan emphasised that the permissive environment enjoyed by the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in Afghanistan belies Afghanistan’s international commitments as well as to Pakistan, that it would not allow its soil to be used against any other country, including Pakistan, the spokesperson said.
Pakistan has demanded a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.
Use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan
“The Afghan Taliban regime has been urged to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that the Afghan Taliban regime has also been categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.
Pakistan security forces foil terrorist attack
Pakistan military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that terrorists belonging to Indian proxy “Fitna al Khwarij” attacked a security forces camp in North Waziristan.
Fitna al Khwarij is a state term referring to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan terrorist group based in Afghanistan.
The terrorists attempted to breach the perimeter security; however, their nefarious designs were swiftly foiled by Pakistan’s security forces, ISPR stated. In their desperation, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the outer perimeter wall, resulting in its collapse and considerable damage to adjacent civilian infrastructure, including a mosque. “Besides damaging their homes, this blatant act of barbarism by khawarij inflicted severe injuries to fifteen local civilians, including innocent children and women,” ISPR stated.
During the fire exchange, the security forces killed all four terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, ISPR stated.
However, during the intense fire exchanges, four Pakistani soldiers were martyred, ISPR stated.
This hideous act of terrorism, planned and orchestrated by Afghanistan-based terrorists, is in contrast to assertions made by the Afghan Taliban regime, claiming non-presence of these terrorist groups operating from their soil, ISPR maintained.
The military’s media wing stated that Pakistan expects the Afghan Taliban regime to fulfil its obligations and deny use of its soil by terrorists against Pakistan, as the safety and security of the people of Pakistan come first and foremost.
ISPR warned that Pakistan reserves the right to hunt these terrorists down and eliminate their facilitators and affiliates to ensure the safety of the Pakistani people.
