The recent terrorist attack on two military posts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Chitral district was an “isolated incident” and not authorized by the Afghan government, according to caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of four security personnel and the death of more than 16 militants who attempted to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan. The foreign minister clarified that the interim Afghan government had been informed about the terrorists’ movement and concentration in certain areas of Afghanistan, urging them to fulfill their obligations and prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack through their spokesperson, Mohammad Khorasani. Despite this, the foreign minister expressed optimism about the ongoing dialogue with the Afghan government to address the escalating militancy.
In a separate statement, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch raised concerns about the large amount of weaponry in Afghanistan, which posed a threat to Pakistan. The statement comes in response to the disagreement between White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby’s claim that the United States did not leave behind $7 billion worth of weapons in Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s assertion that militant groups are using these weapons against them. Baloch refrained from commenting on Kirby’s remarks but emphasized the need for international attention to the situation and called on all parties involved to understand their responsibility.
Pakistan has experienced an increase in terrorist attacks in recent months, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the TTP’s decision to end its ceasefire with the government in November of last year. A report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies highlighted a steady and concerning rise in terror and suicide attacks in the first half of this year, resulting in the loss of 389 lives.
Amidst these rising concerns, Pakistan’s military leadership and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed worries about “safe havens” and the freedom of action enjoyed by militants in Afghanistan. They have also pointed out the involvement of Afghan citizens in terror attacks in Pakistan and called on the Afghan government to take action.
However, a spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, took a different stance, advising Pakistan to address its internal problems rather than blaming others. Afghanistan’s supreme leader also warned Taliban members against carrying out attacks abroad, but the Afghan authorities later claimed to have killed or captured dozens of banned Islamic State militants from Pakistan in the past year.
In conclusion, the Chitral attack is considered an isolated incident by the Pakistani government and not a sanction by the Afghan government. Efforts are underway to address the issue through dialogue and international attention is needed to address the threat posed by the large amount of weaponry in Afghanistan.