The interim Afghan government has sought one month period from Pakistan to eliminate the “sanctuaries of terrorists and terrorists” in their country, sources told Aaj News on Sunday.
They added that the interim government in the neighbouring country has assured Pakistan of taking strict measures to end terrorism. The delegation has also assured Pakistan of complete support on this matter.
The development came during bilateral meetings and talks between the two countries. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi-led delegation is in Pakistan on a four-day visit to participate in bilateral and trilateral meetings.
Muttaqi’s visit is a continuation of Pakistan’s political engagement process with Afghanistan, which, inter alia, included a visit of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar to Kabul on November 29, 2022 and a visit of a high-level delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to Kabul on February 22, 2023.
Sources said that Pakistan has shared all the evidence – including cross-border attacks and purported terrorist camps in Afghanistan – of terrorism with the delegation. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government has also given the lists of terrorists so far killed in various operations to them.
It was also agreed to take other decisive steps with the Afghan delegation, they added.
Pakistan has time after time demanded of the interim Afghan government to not allow its soil to be used as a “launchpad” for terrorist activities against other countries. But the Afghan Taliban, the new rulers, have denied such claims and advised Pakistan to review its security measures. instead of blaming.
The Peshawar mosque bombing that took over 80 lives in February this year was said to be a major terror attack in the rise of militancy in the country.
The Apex Committee, which met in the wake of the Peshawar mosque blast, decided to have zero-tolerance for all types and forms of terrorism. Sources had quoted PM Shehbaz Sharif as saying that the government would have direct communication with Afghanistan on the elimination of hideouts of outlawed groups.
Moreover, a targeted operation was planned against terrorists in the bordering areas of Pakistan in addition to the coordination council. The committee had also decided to keep the data of the facilitators of terrorists as the presence of terrorists in the police lines had raised questions over the high-profile security area.
In February, Pakistan warned Afghanistan of unilateral action against the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) sanctuaries on its soil.
“We [Pakistan and Afghanistan] are like twin countries, we have shared interests. So you [Afghanistan] should take some action on it. If Pakistan unilaterally takes any action against this then you can complain in the future over it,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Aaj News on February 27.
The Asif-led delegation had discussed the threat of outlawed groups: TTP and Islamic State – Khorasan Province.
His visit took place days after the TTP gunmen raided the police headquarters in Karachi in which four people including three security personnel lost their lives.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist attacks since the outlawed group called a shaky ceasefire agreed with the government. But, locals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province sharing the border with Afghanistan, have held demonstrations in the province against the presence of troublemakers. They have demanded of the government to ensure peace.
On Sunday, the Muttaqi-led delegation called on Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.
They discussed bilateral issues and the regional situation.
