The Pakistan Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and the country’s army have expressed concerns about the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters in Afghanistan and the involvement of citizens of Afghanistan in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
In a tweet in Urdu on Saturday, the Pakistan Defence Minister stated that the terrorists who have harmed Pakistanis have sought refuge in Afghanistan. He emphasized that the Taliban does not fulfill the obligations of good neighborliness and brotherhood, nor do they adhere to the Doha Agreement.
He further highlighted the contradiction that thousands of citizens of Afghanistan have enjoyed refugee rights in Pakistan for several decades, while terrorists responsible for violence in Pakistan find sanctuary in Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Defence Minister emphasized that this situation cannot continue, and Islamabad will utilize all available resources to protect its land and citizens.
These remarks come a day after the country’s army expressed concerns over the involvement of citizens of Afghanistan in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
In a statement on Friday, the Pakistan Army highlighted the need to address the issue of citizens of Afghanistan being associated with acts of terrorism within Pakistan.
The statement also emphasized the concerns of the Pakistani Armed Forces regarding the “safe havens” and “liberty of action” available to TTP in Afghanistan. “It is expected that the interim Afghan Government would not allow the use of its soil to perpetrate terror against any country, in the real sense and in line with commitments made in the Doha Agreement,” the statement said.
These statements from Pakistani security officials follow a series of armed attacks in the Balochistan province of Pakistan, which resulted in the death of 12 soldiers. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of providing sanctuaries for TTP members within Afghanistan, from where the group plans and carries out attacks against the Pakistani army.
While the Taliban had previously denied the presence of TTP members in Afghanistan, they have recently acknowledged relocating “Waziristan immigrants” from border areas to other parts of the country.
