ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday summoned Afghan Chargé d’Affaires here and delivered strong demarche to the interim Taliban government in the context of a deadly attack on a military check post in the country’s restive northwest.
At least 23 soldiers were killed on Tuesday in the attack in Darban areas of Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for which a little known outfit Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) took responsibility.
According to the Foreign Office, Foreign Secretary summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Afghan interim government to deliver Pakistan’s strong demarche in the context of the terrorist attack on Pakistan’s security forces’ post.
“The attack, whose responsibility has been claimed by Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a terrorist group affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), resulted in multiple casualties,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The statement mentioned that the envoy was asked to immediately convey to the Afghan interim government to fully investigate and take stern action against the perpetrators of the recent attack.
Qazi demanded that the Afghan government, while publicly condemning the terrorist incident at the highest level, take immediate verifiable actions against all terrorist groups — including their leadership — and their sanctuaries.
The foreign secretary further said the neighbouring nation should apprehend and hand over the perpetrators of the attack and the TTP leadership in Afghanistan to the Pakistani government.
“[They] should also take all necessary measures to deny the persistent use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan,” the statement mentioned.
“Today’s terrorist attack is yet another reminder of the terrorist threat to peace and stability in the region. We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace. On its part, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to combat terrorism,'” the statement said.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the terrorist attack is yet another reminder of the terrorist threat to peace and stability in the region.
Separately, The Express Tribune newspaper reported that Pakistan is contemplating a serious retaliation in response to today’s terrorist attack in Dera Ismail Khan, the deadliest against security forces in years.
If official sources are to be believed, Pakistan is likely to take some “drastic and decisive” actions against the terrorist group involved in the attack.
“Pakistan will not let go the perpetrators of this heinous attack unpunished,” a source familiar with the development told the newspaper.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan government to take action against the TTP and its affiliates.
