Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his call for improved relations with Afghanistan, but stressed that the administration in Kabul must first rein in Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained due to frequent border skirmishes and Islamabad has repeatedly demanded Kabul take action against the banned TTP for using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the accusations.
Earlier this week, Afghanistan’s government alleged that Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Patika province, killing 46 civilians, while security officials said the strikes targeted TTP camps there.
On Thursday, the Foreign Office (FO) rejected inquiries about the recent airstrikes on Afghanistan. Although asked multiple questions about the recent airstrikes, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch avoided directly confirming the action. However, he maintained that Pakistani security and law enforcement personnel continue to carry out operations in the border areas to protect the people of Pakistan from terrorist groups, including the TTP.
While addressing a cabinet meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Afghanistan was Pakistan’s “brother neighbor” and Islamabad wholeheartedly wanted to improve relations with Kabul, especially with regard to economy and trade. .
“Unfortunately, the TTP operates from Afghanistan and carries out terrorist attacks and kills innocent people inside Pakistan. “This cannot continue like this,” he stated.
“We have conveyed to the Afghan government that we want to have good ties with them, but the TTP must be stopped from killing our innocent people. This is a red line. The TTP operating from there against Pakistan is unacceptable.”
The prime minister reiterated his call to the Afghan government to devise a concrete strategy and said Pakistan was ready for dialogue.
“But the policy of talks and allowing the TTP to operate against Pakistan cannot be done simultaneously,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies were at all times ready to ensure peace and security of the country.
“A few days ago, 16 FC members were martyred and the forces eliminated several terrorists in operations in North Waziristan on Thursday, in which an army major was also martyred,” he recalled.
Afghanistan summons Pakistani envoy
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul on Wednesday afternoon and handed him a formal protest note over the shelling “near the Durand Line in Bermal district.” of Paktika province”.
The ministry, in its statement, said the “violation” was condemned and alleged that the move was “an attempt by certain Pakistani factions to create mistrust between the two countries” while the two sides held talks.
Past climbs
In March, the FO confirmed that Pakistan had carried out “intelligence-based counter-terrorism operations” inside Afghanistan’s border regions, hours after Kabul said airstrikes on its territory had killed eight people.
FO said that the main targets of the operation carried out today morning were terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, adding that the group, along with the TTP, was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, which resulted in “ the death of hundreds of people.” civilians and law enforcement officials.
The last such attack took place on March 17 at a security post in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, claiming the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers.
In July, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said bbc In an interview, Pakistan “will continue to launch attacks against Afghanistan as part of a new military operation aimed at fighting terrorism.”
“It is true that we have been conducting operations in Afghanistan and will continue to do so. We will not serve them with cakes and pastries. If they attack us, we will fight back,” Asif had told the outlet.