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Pakistan claims ‘terrorists using Afghan soil’ to carry out attacks
Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said Sunday that “terrorists are using Afghan soil with impunity to carry out activities inside Pakistan”.
In a statement issued by the ministry, Pakistan said: “In the last few days, incidents along Pak-Afghan Border have significantly increased, wherein, Pakistani security forces are being targeted from across the border.”
Pakistan did not however mention anything in the statement about the airstrikes it carried out on Saturday against Afghan targets in Khost and Kunar provinces in which dozens of people were reportedly killed.
In the statement, Pakistan said it has “repeatedly requested Afghan Government in last few months to secure Pak-Afghan border region. Terrorists are using Afghan soil with impunity to carry out activities inside Pakistan.”
The ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said the two countries have been engaged in dialogue over the past few months to coordinate security along the shared border.
“Unfortunately, elements of banned terrorist groups in the border region, including TTP, have continued to attack Pakistan’s border security posts, resulting into martyrdom of several Pakistani troops,” the statement read.
“Pakistan requests the sovereign Government of Afghanistan to secure Pak- Afghan Border region and take stern actions against the individuals involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan, in the interest of peace and progress of the two brotherly countries.
“Pakistan also takes this opportunity to reaffirm respect for Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Pakistan will continue to work closely with Afghan Government to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields,” the statement read.
The statement came a day after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) warned Pakistan not to test the patience of Afghans, after Pakistani military carried out airstrikes in Khost and Kunar provinces.
IEA’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said on Twitter that the attacks targeted refugees.
He said that problems between the two countries must be resolved through political means.
The IEA has also repeatedly said that no organization would be allowed to use Afghanistan to launch attacks on another country.
Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, says Islamabad does not seek to impose war on Afghanistan or occupy any part of its territory.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he stated that Pakistan’s primary expectation is for Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to address this concern could lead to the continuation of Pakistani operations targeting such groups.
Pakistani officials have long maintained that militant attacks in Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory. However, the Islamic Emirate has rejected the claim, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for what it describes as Pakistan’s “security failures.”
Afghanistan has once again been ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report.
The report, which measures people’s overall life satisfaction across 147 countries, placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the global ranking for another year, with a score 1.4 out of 10. Researchers assess factors such as income levels, social support, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption, and overall quality of life.
For the ninth consecutive year, Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country, with a score of 7.7. Iceland and Denmark followed it, as Nordic nations continued to dominate the top of the index.
A notable development came from Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place — the highest ranking ever recorded for a Latin American country.
Other countries with low rankings included Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed the temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan announced in connection with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, calling for continued efforts to reduce tensions and achieve lasting peace.
Anwar shared the message during a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif. In a Facebook post, Anwar emphasized the importance of dialogue and de-escalation, while also expressing concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, and urging all parties to prioritize peaceful solutions.
Pakistan said it had temporarily suspended military operations in Afghanistan at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. Afghan authorities likewise announced a halt to operations during Eid, citing goodwill and similar requests from regional partners.
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Durand Line clashes and airstrikes.
Separately, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call discussed regional developments with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming Turkey’s commitment to peace and stability and stressing continued cooperation for long-term security.
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