Prime Minister’s aide says Pakistan acted ‘decisively’; The recent rise in terrorism qualified the Taliban’s declaration of war; The nation supports the forces
A file photograph of a checkpoint on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Security forces responded immediately to stop unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban along the international border on Tuesday amid intense friction between the two countries, according to the prime minister’s spokesman.
“The Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Torkham and Tirah subsectors. Pakistani security forces responded immediately and effectively, silencing the Taliban aggression,” said Mosharraf Zaidi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesperson for foreign media.
He warned that any new provocation would be responded to “immediately and severely”, adding that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens and safeguard its territorial integrity.
Analysts view the recent incidents of terrorism originating from Afghanistan – including the attack on a federal police convoy in Karak district, the burning of police personnel, the martyrdom of DSP Asad Mehmood in Shakardara (Kohat) and the suicide attack in Bhakkar – as an open war by Afghanistan against the state of Pakistan.
According to them, these suicide attacks during Ramadan reflect that these terrorists have no connection with Islam or Pashtun traditions. For them, innocent human lives have no value in the pursuit of their malicious and self-proclaimed ideology, they added.
Instead of responding to Pakistan’s constant demand to end sponsorship of “Fitna al-Khawarij”, the Afghan Taliban regime’s blatant aggression against Pakistan amounts to challenging Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pakistan will respond to this war declared by the Afghan Taliban regime with full determination and national unity. Pakistani security forces, backed by full public support, are determined and united to eliminate all elements that threaten national security.
This war against the State of Pakistan and its people demands that we rise above political affiliations and confront this terrorism, which is supported by Afghanistan and India.
National security, dignity and the protection of life and property must take priority over political and personal interests. Eliminating these enemies of humanity and Islam (Khawarij) should be our top priority.
Our security forces and law enforcement agencies are giving their lives in defense of the country’s internal and external borders. Behind these sacrifices lies the unwavering love and unity of the Pakistani nation.
This handful of terrorists, dancing to the tune of foreign masters, will be decisively defeated by the Pakistani nation and its security institutions through unity, national honor and traditional determination.
Furthermore, the federal government has been constantly raising its voice in international forums against terrorist sanctuaries operating in Afghanistan and using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan.
Following a series of suicide bombings, Pakistan carried out intelligence-based strikes against seven terror camps along the Afghan border early Sunday morning.
In 2023, a UN report also revealed that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had established a new base in KP in mid-2023. The report sheds light on the close links not only between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban but also with anti-Pakistan groups and Al Qaeda.
The report further revealed that some Taliban members had also joined the TTP, perceiving it as a religious obligation to provide support.
Interlocutors reported that TTP members and their families regularly received aid packages from the Taliban.
Importantly, the UN report noted a significant increase in Afghan citizens in the ranks of the TTP. This supported Pakistan’s position that a growing number of Afghan nationals were involved in suicide attacks in the country.
More recently, a UN Security Council report said attacks on Pakistan by the TTP from Afghanistan have increased, supporting Islamabad’s long-standing complaints about militant sanctuaries across the border. The 37th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, dated February 4, not only supported Islamabad’s stance that Afghanistan had become a sanctuary for militants who used its territory to launch attacks against Pakistan, but also came at a time when the country is facing a new wave of violence.
