ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday summoned Afghanistan’s deputy head of mission and lodged a strong protest over a terrorist attack in Bajaur that resulted in the martyrdom of 11 Pakistani soldiers.
It said the attack was carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij, referring to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terrorist group that operates from Afghan territory with its leadership based there.
According to the Foreign Office, the government condemned “in strongest possible terms” the vehicle-borne suicide bombing followed by a fire assault on a military and law enforcement post in the district.
He said Pakistan has received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime but has not seen concrete action.
Andrabi said Pakistan called on the Afghan Taliban regime to take immediate and verifiable steps against all militant groups operating from its territory, including their leadership.
He stated that Pakistan informed the Afghan Taliban regime that it reserves the right to act against members of the Fitna al-Khawarij group and their affiliates wherever they are located to protect its soldiers, civilians, and territorial boundaries.
Separately, while speaking to the media, the foreign office said that the country’s patience was “obviously not unlimited” when it came to Afghanistan’s actions, adding that the country reserved the right “of any action in our right to self-defense.”
Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that there was “no positive response from Afghanistan to Pakistan's very legitimate demands that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism inside Pakistan.”
“So as long as this demand is not met, while exercising patience, all options would obviously remain on table,” adding that “we cannot let our people to be killed mercilessly.”
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