ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and handed over a strong demarche over the cowardly vehicle-borne IED attack carried out by terrorists of Fitna-al-Khawarij on the Fateh Khel Police Post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu District on May 9.
In a statement issued here on Monday, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated the Afghan Taliban regime has also been categorically informed that, if it continues to harbour these terrorist organizations, Pakistan will not compromise on its national security or on the safety and protection of its citizens.
The ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan, he added.
Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, Andrabi said it was impressed upon the Afghan side that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act.
It was further highlighted that the continued presence of various terrorist organizations on Afghan soil and the permissive environment enabling their operations have been well documented in reports by the UN Monitoring Team and other international organizations. FO spokesperson noted, “The fight against terrorism is a common cause, and the Afghan Taliban must honour their commitment not to allow their territory to be used for terrorism against other countries.”
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to take concrete and verifiable action against Fitna-al-Khawarij, Fitna-al-Hindustan, and ISKP/Daesh elements operating from Afghan soil.
Pakistan has also constructively engaged with the Afghan Taliban regime through several rounds of talks mediated by brotherly and friendly countries. However, the Afghan Taliban have consistently failed to commit to, or deliver, meaningful and verifiable action against these terrorist outfits.
It is worth mentioning here that there has been a visible resurgence in terrorism-related violence in Pakistan since the return of the Afghan Taliban to power. Besides diplomatic efforts, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab-ul-Haq on the night of February 26 following unprovoked firing by the Afghan forces on Pakistani villages located near the border.
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It’s about time Pakistan summoned the Afghan diplomat over this cowardly IED attack on the Fateh Khel Police Post. The evidence clearly shows the terrorists are being harbored in Afghanistan.
I’m worried that Pakistan’s warning to the Afghan Taliban regime about harboring Fitna-al-Khawarij will fall on deaf ears. They need to actually act, not just issue statements.
The Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi mentioned technical intelligence linking the Bannu attack to terrorists in Afghanistan. But how can we trust that intelligence when past claims have been shaky?
This demarche is a strong diplomatic move, but it feels like a repeat of previous protests. The Afghan side has been told before that using Afghan soil for attacks won’t be tolerated, yet nothing changes.
UN and Pakistan and US and Afghanistan are central to this development. The decisions made here will have ripple effects.
Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively, but I hope that doesn’t mean escalating tensions further. Maybe targeted strikes against the masterminds would be more effective than threats.
The attack mentioned here in Islamabad, Bannu involving Pakistan and US and Afghanistan is significant. The impact on the ground will depend on how this unfolds.