Pakistan on Monday summoned the Afghan Chargé d’Affaires and lodged a strong demarche with the interim Afghanistan government over a vehicle-borne IED attack on a police post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district that left 15 policemen dead and injured four others, including a civilian.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said it had informed the Afghan envoy that a detailed investigation into the May 9 incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicated terrorists residing in Afghanistan had masterminded it.
“Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, it was impressed upon the Afghan side that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” it warned.
The statement noted that a report compiled by the U.N. Monitoring Team and other international organizations had highlighted the continued presence of various terrorist organizations on Afghan soil, and the permissive environment enabling their operations. “The fight against terrorism is a common cause, and the Afghan Taliban must honor their commitment not to allow their territory to be used for terrorism against other countries,” it said.
Stressing that Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to take concrete and verifiable action against Fitna-al-Khawarij, Fitna-al-Hindustan, and ISKP/Daesh elements operating from Afghan soil, it said this had included several rounds of talks between the neighboring states. “However, the Afghan Taliban have consistently failed to commit to, or deliver, meaningful and verifiable action against these terrorist outfits,” it said.
The Foreign Office said the interim Afghanistan government had been “categorically informed” that if it continues to harbor such terrorist organizations, Pakistan would not compromise on its national security or on the safety and protection of its citizens.