ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities said on Monday that they have uncovered an organised network of Afghan nationals involved in terror activities in the country following the arrest and confession of an Afghan suspect in Talagang, a city in Punjab province.
The arrested Afghan national, identified as Qasim alias Hasan, stated that he belongs to the Diloozi tribe and is originally from Gardez province in Afghanistan.
He said he migrated to Lakki Marwat with his family about a decade ago, where they lived, worked, and integrated into the local community.
In his confession, Qasim said he first encountered Taliban commander Armani in 2025 in Sarha Darga. “Commander Armani invited me to join jihad, and I became part of the group. I spent around 20 days with them, during which he instructed me to carry out a suicide mission,” he told investigators.
He further said that Armani assigned him and another terrorist, Farooq, to survey a military fort in Tajori for a planned suicide attack. The pair did not carry out the assault because they were unable to find a suitable opportunity.
Qasim admitted that he later returned to the group and was ordered to recruit new members. “I handed over five individuals to Commander Armani and received PKR 10,000 for each recruit,” he said.
He added that, acting on Armani’s directions, he travelled to Punjab to search for additional recruits, but was arrested by police shortly after reaching the province.
Officials say the suspect’s recorded confession adds to Pakistan’s evidence that Afghan territory is being used to facilitate terrorism inside the country. Islamabad has repeatedly shared similar findings with the international community, urging greater attention to the cross-border threat.
Earlier, Pakistan urged undocumented Afghan nationals to return to Afghanistan, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warning that the government can “no longer afford” the security risks posed by terrorists linked to recent terror and suicide attacks, many of whom officials say were Afghan citizens.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Naqvi said the government was facing “serious difficulties” in implementing its deportation policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accusing the provincial authorities of protecting Afghan migrants.
“Afghan migrants are being protected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is not the case in the other provinces,” Naqvi said, adding that despite the federal government de-notifying refugee camps, several remained operational in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
