After a wave of terrorist attack in different parts of the country, several combing operations against terrorists have been intensified. Reportedly Pakistan army on Friday destroyed four militant hideouts across the Afghan border. Pakistan forces attacked the alleged training camp of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan located near the Pak-Afghan border and reportedly destroyed the compound and four other hideouts of suspected terrorists. The reports said that the army targeted Jamaat-ul-Ahrar sanctuaries across the border of Khyber and Mohmand tribal agencies, including the training camp of JuA’s commander Adil Bacha. Most of the camps were located within 100 to 200 meters across the border, on the Afghan side, and most of them were affiliated with or belonged to the TTP and TTP-JA, an ISIS-loyalist Pakistani Taliban splinter group. The move comes hours after the Inter-Services Public Relations announced that the security forces have been given special orders to maintain strict vigilance all along the Pak-Afghan border. It is pertinent to mention that it was Jamaat-ul-Ahrar which has safe havens in Afghanistan claimed the responsibility for the repeated acts of terrorism across Pakistan in the past few days. The Afghan government has summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in protest of recent shelling in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces. Afghanistan accused that Pakistani forces fired rockets into the Lal Pur area of eastern Nangarhar province and some other areas late Friday.
Pakistan’s armed forces sealed the Torkham border indefinitely and additional combing operations were initiated. Pakistan has said that Afghan territory was being used for such attacks by terrorist groups with the backing of ‘hostile powers’. In reaction to the recent shrine attack Pakistan closed the Torkham and Spin Boldak border ports and said the attack was masterminded in Afghanistan. The development comes after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa telephoned General Nicholson, Commander of Resolute Support Mission (RSM) in Afghanistan to play his role to stop use of Afghan soil for terror attacks in Pakistan. From what may be perceived as a well-coordinated conspiracy to discredit Pakistan’s achievements against terrorism, these ‘hostile powers’ do not wish to seek stability in the region. Hence, the number of terrorist attacks have suddenly surged this week.
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are tensed, and as Pakistan is asking Afghanistan to take actions against terrorist safe heavens inside the country, Afghan government is also asking same demand to take action against Haqqani Network inside Pakistan.
Pakistan handed over a list of terrorists to Afghanistan demanding action against them. Pakistan has asked number of times to the Afghan government to take action against terrorists outfits inside Afghanistan that are forming plans of terrorist activities in Pakistan. In recent terrorist incidents it has been proved that not only the suicide bombers but also their facilitators were from Afghanistan.
In spite of blame game, government of Afghanistan must stand with Pakistan to fight monster of terror as terrorism is a common issue in both countries. Cooperation is the only way forward to eliminate menace of terrorism. Afghanistan and Pakistan should reach to an agreement for complete elimination of all terror groups without making any distinction.
Most of the terrorist incidents in Pakistan are claimed by terrorist organisations with leadership hiding in Afghanistan.
