Cross-border attacks: Pakistan warns Afghanistan of ‘action’

ISLAMABAD (Agencies): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Afghanistan is not fulfilling its responsibility of being a good neighborly country as it has become a safe haven for terrorists who are shedding blood of Pakistanis. He said that this situation cannot continue any longer, warning Afghanistan that Pakistan will use all its resources to protect its land and citizens.

Taking to his Twitter handle, the defence minister wrote: “Afghanistan is not fulfilling its responsibility of being a (good) neighbor and brotherly country. It is not abiding by the Doha agreement. 5-6 million Afghans have been living on asylum in Pakistan with all rights for the last 40 to 50 years. On the contrary, the terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis can find safe havens in Afghanistan. This situation cannot continue any longer. Pakistan will use all its resources to protect its land and citizens, God willing.”

On Friday, the Pakistan Army media wing, ISPR, expressed serious concerns about the safe havens and liberty of action available to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, in its statement. The military’s media wing statement came as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir visited Quetta Garrison, where he was briefed on the recent terrorist attack in Zhob in which nine security forces embraced martyrdom. The ISPR statement said the Armed Forces of Pakistan have serious concerns about 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 involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed. Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit an effective response from the Security Forces of Pakistan.