ISLAMABAD: Pakistan further stepped up pressure on the Afghan interim government of the Taliban and reiterated its ability to defend itself against all threats, national or foreign and to ensure that the Afghan territory does not become a launching pad for terrorists.
Responding to media queries about Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s statement on Tuesday on the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the foreign minister’s remarks are neither new nor extraordinary.
“Pakistan has always said it has the ability to defend itself against all threats, national or foreign. We have also remained engaged with Afghanistan to ensure that the Afghan territory does not become a launching pad for terrorist acts inside Pakistani territory,” she said.
The spokesperson added that the foreign minister, in his remarks, has clearly reiterated Pakistan’s policy to engage with Afghanistan for it to abide by its commitments to the international community including Pakistan.
She added that the foreign minister underlined Pakistan’s desire to work with Afghanistan to jointly counter the terrorist threat that affects both countries. “He (Bilawal) also expressed Pakistan’s readiness to enhance Afghanistan's capacity to effectively counter the terrorist outfits,” she further explained.
In media interaction on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a stern warning to Afghanistan-based banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) amid rising terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
To a question whether Pakistan is considering any action against the hideouts of the banned TTP and other terror outfits inside Afghanistan, Bilawal said that Pakistan’s preference was that the Afghan interim government authorities must take action against them as per their international commitments in the Doha agreement which bound them that they would not allow its soil to be used by any terrorist outfit.
He said Pakistan was ready to provide any assistance if the Afghan interim government needed so. “If they (the Afghan authorities) request us for any assistance (in action against the terrorists), I am sure the government of Pakistan will be ready to extend a helping hand to the Afghan interim government – that should also be a preferable option for Pakistan,” he said.
“As far as the question about any action to be taken by Pakistan itself against the terrorists within Afghanistan, we do not desire to take such a step, but as per the international law, we have the right reserved to take action in self-defence. If there are persistent terrorist attacks and no appropriate action is taken by them (Afghan authorities), then as a last resort such an option is also available,” he said.
In a related development on Wednesday, the security agencies have identified the involvement of three Afghan terrorists in a recent terrorist attack in Zhob Cantonment area in Balochistan.
The Foreign Office has also expressed its deep concern and condemnation of the continued involvement of Afghan terrorists in terrorist activities in Pakistan and the use of Afghan territory for terrorism within Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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