The FO expressed concern that the group, whose entire leadership is based in Afghanistan, “operates with impunity from Afghan soil”.
It re-emphasised that Pakistan had received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime, “but, regrettably, with no visible or concrete actions”.
“The Afghan Taliban regime has been told to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership,” the press release said.
The ministry also “categorically informed” the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan “reserved the right to respond and eliminate any
khawarij belonging to the group as well as their affiliates”, wherever they were located, “to ensure [the] safety of its soldiers, civilians and territorial boundaries”.
It is worth mentioning that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
said on Wednesday that Islamabad will not hesitate to launch air operations inside Afghanistan to combat militancy, characterising the current regional instability as the “price we are paying” for decisions made during the 1980s and after Sept 11 terrorist attacks.
Speaking during a visit to Berlin, Asif accused the Afghan Taliban regime of conducting a “proxy war” alongside India against Pakistani interests and said military action would remain on the table until Kabul offered meaningful “assurances of peace”, according to a
BBC report.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a terror attack involving an explosive-laden vehicle on a checkpost in Bajaur martyred 11 security personnel on Monday.
The statement added that 12 terrorists were eliminated after security forces retaliated and “engaged the fleeing
khawarij with precision”.
