ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday accused Afghanistan and India of being behind the recent surge in terrorist attacks across Pakistan, pledging a strong and decisive response against what he called “enemies of the nation.”
Speaking in the National Assembly after the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the premier said that an “external hand” was clearly visible in the recent wave of terrorism, including a suicide blast in Islamabad and an attempted assault in Wana, South Waziristan — an attack he compared to the 2014 Army Public School (APS) tragedy.
“It is no longer a secret that an external hand is visible in attacks in Pakistan,” PM Shehbaz said.
Afghan involvement and security threats
The prime minister revealed that one of the terrorists killed in the Wana operation was identified as an Afghan national, adding that the attempted assault could have been “worse than the APS massacre” had the armed forces not acted swiftly.
“These khawarij, including Afghans, were sent to hell,” he declared, lauding the military for rescuing students, cadets, and teachers safely.
Referring to past evidence, PM Shehbaz alleged that both India and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been coordinating through Afghan territory. He recalled Pakistan’s earlier presentation of proof to the global community showing how groups like TTP and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) operated from Afghanistan with Indian support.
He added, “We presented these facts to the entire world — no one has been able to deny or rebut them.”
Call for action from Afghan Taliban
The premier said Pakistan had maintained one consistent demand in talks with the Afghan Taliban government — to rein in terrorist groups operating from their soil. He noted that Pakistan had engaged in dialogue in Turkiye, but the Taliban regime continued making “false promises.”
“When Pakistan was attacked from Afghan soil, their Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was in Delhi,” Shehbaz said, expressing disappointment after Pakistan’s decades-long hospitality toward Afghan refugees.
The prime minister vowed to retaliate firmly against all acts of terror. “We are fully aware of your actions,” he warned. “We have given you a befitting response before, and we will do so again.”
Dar: Terrorism has no religion or boundary
At a separate event, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the recent attacks, saying terrorism “recognises no religion, race, or boundary.”
Speaking at the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) in Islamabad, Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace, dialogue, and international cooperation, adding that the nation’s resolve against extremism “remains stronger than ever.”
He also highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic principles of non-interference, sovereign equality, and peaceful dispute resolution, and praised Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani for advancing parliamentary diplomacy and multilateralism on the global stage.
