Islamabad again asks Kabul to take action against DI Khan attack perpetrators

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan once again on Thursday called upon the Afghan Interim government to take strong action against the perpetrators of the heinous attack in Dera Ismail Khan on December 12 and hand them over to Pakistan along with the TTP leadership in Afghanistan.

This comes after a strong demarche was made to Kabul by Pakistan’s foreign secretary.

Pakistan also demanded strongly worded statements from the top leadership of Afghanistan (to condemn the attack) as it would reflect their seriousness in combating this menace of terrorism and to signal to these terrorist groups that they were not welcome in Afghanistan.

The spokesperson at the Foreign Office said that Islamabad had noted the statement from Kabul that it will investigate this terrorist attack. It is a fact that Pakistan expects the Afghan authorities to take effective action against these terrorist sanctuaries and hideouts and the results on the ground will speak for themselves of the effectiveness of the action taken inside Afghanistan.

“We also expect Afghanistan to take concrete and verifiable steps to prevent the use of Afghan soil by terrorist entities against Pakistan,” she said at a time when Kabul has chosen to use the media to interact with Islamabad.

When asked to comment on Afghan interim government Spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid who had washed his hands off the terrorist attack, she responded, “Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism for the last several decades. And our reaction, our public reaction and our bilateral dialogue on these matters are based on facts which have been determined by our security and law enforcement authorities. And our law enforcement authorities have determined that terrorist incidents in recent months have their links with individuals belonging to the TTP or its affiliates who have hideouts and sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.” Pakistan, said the FO spokesperson, appreciated the messages of sympathy and condolences from the international community over Tuesday’s terrorist attack on Pakistan security forces in Dera Ismail Khan.

“The members of the UN Security Council have condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack and expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences. They have also recalled that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to which Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan is affiliated, is listed by the Security Council ISIL/ Daesh and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee,” she said. In this context, the members of the Security Council have underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. They have urged all the States to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan as well as all other relevant authorities in this regard. When asked about a Tweet from the caretaker Balochistan information minister suggesting Pakistan should give the US some drone bases particularly to target Al Qaeda and TTP, the spokesperson appeared to have little patience with the Tweet which has since been deleted. “I would not like to comment on the personal remarks of a public official of a province who does not have a foreign policy portfolio or has a defence portfolio.” Commenting on those that were directly responsible for the terrorist attack, the FO spokesperson said that this would be best responded to by law enforcement authorities.

“What I would like to do is invite your attention to the press release that we issued a couple of days ago, in which we underlined the involvement of a terrorist group affiliated with the TTP, which has claimed responsibility for this terrorist incident and Pakistan has called on Afghanistan to take action against its leadership and those responsible for this attack,” she pointed out.

When it was pointed out that Kabul has still not condemned this heinous terrorist attack, she responded, “The first thing that we expect from any country when such a heinous attack takes place is an expression of condemnation and sympathy. Pakistan has received such messages of sympathy from a large number of countries. Afghanistan as it would reflect their seriousness in combating this menace of terrorism and to signal to these terrorist groups that they are not welcome in Afghanistan.”

On the visit of the Army Chief to the United States, the FO spokesperson explained that when any senior official or public official, government official, visits a foreign country, there is a process of consultations and preparation.

“And in this case as well before the visit of the Chief of Army Staff to the United States, a consultation process was undertaken and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was involved, and we provided our input in the preparation of this visit. He has been invited by the relevant US authorities. As explained by ISPR, he is expected to meet with the relevant defence officials. He is also expected to have engagements with officials in the State Department and defence related engagements. Further details you may seek from the ISPR, which I believe will be sharing information based on the various meetings as they take place,” she said. To suggestions that Pakistan had an option for a plan for hot pursuit inside Afghanistan to defend itself, she said, “This question is based on a speculation and a hypothetical situation. We have made some concrete demands on Afghanistan and we have made them public with respect to the Tuesday’s terrorist attack. We expect Afghanistan to take those actions. Afghanistan has said it would investigate the terror incident; we expect them to do more than investigate but to take effective concrete action against these terrorist groups and to hand over the culprits and the TTP leadership to Pakistan.” Pakistan, she said, strongly denies such reports or speculation of any talks, which are claimed to be taking place between Pakistan and TTP. “There is absolutely no dialogue taking place,” she said.