Pakistan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, has said that citizens of Afghanistan are involved in Pakistan’s insecurity and that Islamabad has shared its evidence with the Taliban.
In an interview with Aaj News on Wednesday, Khar said that the number of attacks in Pakistan since the regime change in Afghanistan is “appalling.” She added that there have been incidents of people crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan as “medical attendants” who were later found to be involved in terrorism incidents.
Khar emphasized that Pakistan is “far better equipped” to deal with terrorism incidents linked to Afghanistan because of fencing which gives Pakistan accurate data of who is crossing into Pakistan or not.
“Pakistan cannot and should not compromise on the safety of its people,” Khar said. “When we say we can exercise all options, there is a whole plethora of options,” she added.
On Wednesday, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that citizens of Afghanistan were involved in July 13 attack on the Pakistan Army’s Zhob Garrison in Northern Balochistan that killed 12 Pakistani soldiers.
According to Geo News, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, revealed that three slain terrorists involved in the attack on the personnel of the Pakistan Army were identified as citizens of Afghanistan.
“The terrorists belong to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province,” she added.
Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the Taliban not to allow Afghanistan soil to be used by terror groups while visiting the wounded of the suicide bombing that struck in northwestern Bajaur which claimed 54 lives and injured nearly 200 Pakistani citizens.
Islamic State—Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the Bajaur attack.
On a separate occasion, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also called on Taliban authorities to take action against militants who are sheltered inside Afghanistan and respect its counter-terrorism commitment made with the international community under the Doha Agreement.
“We will act under international law to defend ourselves. If the Afghan authorities don’t act, then action inside can be one of the options but not the first option,” he stressed.
Terrorist attacks have surged across Pakistan in recent years targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians. Pakistan has blamed the Taliban for the escalating terror-related insecurity in Pakistan, mainly for harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
