Pakistan demands action against Afghan-based Jamaatul Ahrar; PM seeks enhanced efforts to nab terror sponsors, facilitators; says foreign facilitators of terrorists will also be eliminated
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) Syed Abdul Nasir Yousafi on Wednesday to register a protest on the attack in Lahore by Afghanistan-based Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA) and demanded an action against the militant group.
A senior official from the Foreign Office shared in great detail and complete evidence of the involvement of Ahrar, which had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday.“The Additional Secretary (UN&EC) conveyed the grave concern of Pakistan about the continuing terrorist attacks on the Pakistani soil by the terrorist outfit, JuA, from its sanctuaries inside Afghanistan,” a statement from the spokesman stated. It said that Pakistan will eliminate facilitators of terrorists living abroad.
The JuA split away from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) based in Afghanistan in 2014 with links to Daesh. While the Kabul government misses no opportunity to blame Pakistan for all that goes wrong inside Afghanistan, the recent terrorist attack inside the Governor’s Office in Kandahar that killed six UAE diplomats clearly showed that it was the job of an “insider”.
Pakistan has regularly taken up the issue of Afghan-based terrorists striking inside Pakistan with the Afghan authorities but to no avail. On Wednesday, an Aide-e-Memoire containing details of the terrorist attacks and supporting information was also shared with the Afghan DHM.
“Attention of the DHM was also drawn to the earlier actionable intelligence shared by our authorities with the Afghan side. Afghanistan was urged to take urgent measures to eliminate the terrorists and their sanctuaries, financiers and handlers operating from its territory,” added the spokesman.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over the new wave of terrorism across the country, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked the law enforcement agencies to step up their efforts to nab the sponsors and facilitators of terrorism by following a proactive approach and also eliminate foreign facilitators of terror.
The prime minister said the terrorists and their patrons will be chased and eliminated. In a high level meeting here at the Prime Minister House Wednesday, it was revealed that the terror sponsoring elements that were on run in the wake of the operation for elimination of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan, are settled back inside Afghanistan in the bordering areas with Pakistan. They are getting full support of men and material by their local contacts who are working on behalf of Pakistan’s known enemies. The government has also decided to take up the question of the presence of terrorists on the soil of Afghanistan through diplomatic channels with full vigour. The Afghan government would be provided complete information about the working of the terrorists including unimpeachable evidence of their collaborations with the secret networks of a hostile country through their links in Afghanistan. The host country’s intelligence outfit is also providing them all sort of support.
It was first such meeting after the re-emergence of terror activities in different parts of Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar, Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt General Bilal Akbar, Secretary to the Prime Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua, Director General Intelligence Bureau (DGIB) Aftab Sultan, DG Counter Terrorism and other senior government officials.
According to the Prime Minister House, the meeting condemned the recent terror attacks of Lahore, Mohmand Agency, Peshawar and Quetta and paid homage to the great national heroes who laid down their lives for securing a peaceful future for Pakistan. The meeting reiterated the national resolve of complete physical and ideological annihilation of terrorism and extremism. It was agreed that the gains of operations executed by military, civil armed forces and police will not be lost and the state would ensure that terrorists do not resurge, at any cost. The armed forces, police and other civilian law enforcement agencies and people at large have rendered unrivalled sacrifices in this war against terrorism. The narrative of terror has failed to prevail and the narrative of peace, stability and prosperity has taken over.
The meeting reinforced that the overall situation in the country has improved including Fata, Balochistan and Karachi as a result of the state’s offensive against terrorists and miscreants. The meeting made a resolve that terrorism emanating within the country or executed and harboured from outside the country would be eliminated and those posing threat to peace and security of the country would be liquidated by the might of the state. The huddle also decided to enhance vigilance in the areas which were targeted by the terrorists in past.
The prime minister, who was visibly distressed about the human loss in the recent terror incidents, reiterated the resolve of the nation that terrorists wouldn’t be permitted to make a comeback. “They will continue to be chased and perished by the law enforcing agencies. There is no question of any let up in this regard,” Nawaz observed in the meeting. He said the government understands the reasons working behind the new wave and the nation wouldn’t allow the enemy to succeed.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Zubair Hayat, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Lieutenant General Bilal Akbar also had meeting with the prime minister separately before the high level security meeting. The meetings took place at the Prime Minister House. Matters pertaining to law and order and internal security were discussed during the meeting with the interior minister.
The sources pointed out that some political issues also came up for discussion in the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar. In meeting with General Zubair Hayat, the two expressed the view that terror attacks cannot deter the resolve of nation to eliminate terror from Pakistan. They said the armed forces are fully committed to cleanse the country from extremists and terrorists with the help of civilian security agencies.
Meanwhile, the prime minister set the deadline for completion of crucially significant hydro power projects in the country and asked Wapda to speed up the projects. WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (R) Muzammil Hussain had meeting with the PM Wednesday and briefed him about the projects of the authority. He informed the premier that Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project will be ready for inauguration on February 28, 2018.
The chairman informed that speedy execution is underway on Kachhi Canal project which consists of main canal and distribution system. Ground breaking of main works on Dasu project by the prime minister will be performed in June 2017 and the project will be completed at cost of $4,300 million. The PM was told that the Golen Gol hydro power project will produce electricity three times more than the requirements of Chitral.
