Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Archive
ISLAMABAD:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that it had summoned the deputy head of the Afghan mission and presented a strong statement on the deadly terrorist attack in Bajaur on February 16, warning Kabul to take “immediate, concrete and verifiable measures” against terrorist groups operating from its soil.
According to an official statement, the management was conveyed to the representative of the Afghan Taliban regime following a suicide vehicle attack and subsequent fire attack on a post of Pakistan’s military and police agencies in Bajaur. Eleven Pakistani soldiers were killed in the assault.
Pakistan condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the attack, which it said was carried out by Fitna al Khwarij, also known as the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed serious concern that all FAK/TTP leaders were based in Afghanistan and continued to operate with impunity from Afghan territory.
Islamabad reiterated that it had received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban authorities that Afghan soil would not be used for terrorism against Pakistan. However, the statement regrets that there has been no “visible or concrete action” to address Pakistan’s concerns.
The Afghan side was categorically informed that Pakistan reserved the right to respond and eliminate any Khwarij belonging to the FAK along with its affiliates “wherever they may be found” to safeguard its soldiers, civilians and its territorial integrity.
The move came amid rising tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and followed what officials described as a worrying escalation of cross-border attacks.
During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi explained the context of the effort and called the Bajaur attack a “cowardly” act.
Andrabi stressed that while Pakistan remained committed to dialogue and diplomacy in the broader context of its historical, cultural and ethnic ties with Afghanistan, patience had its limits when it came to attacks on Pakistani civilians and security personnel.
He said Pakistan’s right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter remains intact and any action taken against terrorist elements would be aimed at protecting innocent lives.
The spokesperson also highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Washington at the invitation of US President Donald J. Trump to attend the inaugural session of the Peace Board (BoP) on February 19.
Outlining multiple questions on the agenda of the BoP meeting, Andrabi said a decision on the contours of the mandate of the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) was still awaited.
“We understand that a decision on the mandate of the International Stabilization Force is awaited and, until that time, we are not in a position to make any decision on this matter,” he said.
He reiterated that Pakistan had clearly identified its “red lines”.
“Pakistan may be part of a peacekeeping mandate, but we would not be part of any disarmament/demilitarization mandate,” he said, adding that discussions on the issue could take place during the BoP meeting in Washington.
Regarding concerns over the participation of certain countries in the Board, Andrabi said Pakistan had joined the forum with a particular focus. “We have joined the Peace Board with a particular focus, that is, the reconstruction of Gaza and the long-term solution of Palestinian problems. Therefore, we will continue to follow this approach and will not be bothered by the participation of one country or another.”
He described the balance of payments as a “ray of hope” and expressed the expectation that it would help alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, and contribute to peace, prosperity and a path towards a lasting resolution of the Palestinian question.
Referring to recent developments in the occupied West Bank, the spokesperson said the issue could also arise during the BoP meeting, especially in light of concerns expressed by eight Arab and Islamic countries about Israel’s actions.
While diplomatic engagements abroad continued, Islamabad’s message to Kabul remained firm: Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan and assurances must be translated into tangible actions.
