ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Sunday strongly condemned the constant use of Afghan soil by terrorists with “impunity” for carrying out activities inside Pakistan and urged the Afghan interim government to secure Pakistan-Afghan border region and take stern actions against the individuals involved in terrorist activities.
In a statement on Sunday, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said that in the last few days, incidents along Pakistan-Afghan border have significantly increased, wherein Pakistani security forces are being targeted from across the border.
The statement comes following the interim Afghan government summoned Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan in the Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry in Kabul who was lodged a “strong protest” over the alleged air strikes by Pakistan in the Afghan provinces of Khost and Kunar.
“Pakistan has repeatedly requested Afghan government in last few months to secure Pakistan-Afghan border region. Terrorists are using Afghan soil with impunity to carry out activities inside Pakistan,” Asim Iftikhar said.
He stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged for past several months through institutional channels for effective coordination and security along our long shared border.
Unfortunately, he added that elements of banned terrorist groups in the border region, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have continued to attack Pakistan’s border security posts, resulting into martyrdom of several Pakistani troops.
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On 14 April 2022 as well, he added that seven Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in North Waziristan district by terrorists operating from Afghanistan.
“Pakistan, once again, strongly condemns terrorists operating with impunity from Afghan soil to carry out activities in Pakistan. This is detrimental to our efforts of maintaining peace and stability along Pak-Afghan border,” he added.
He added: “Pakistan requests the sovereign government of Afghanistan to secure Pak-Afghan border region and take stern actions against the individuals involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan, in the interest of peace and progress of the two brotherly countries.”
“Pakistan also takes this opportunity to reaffirm respect for Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Pakistan will continue to work closely with Afghan government to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields,” the spokesperson added.
Earlier on Saturday, the official spokesperson for the Afghan interim government Zabihullah Mujahid, warned Pakistan of “bad consequences” in case of any future air strike inside Afghanistan.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) strongly condemns Pakistan’s attacks on refugees in Khost and Kunar,” Mujahid stated in statement on Twitter.
“The IEA calls on the Pakistani side not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again; otherwise, it will have bad consequences,” he warned. However, he added that problems between the two countries should be resolved through political means.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022