On Thursday, the Foreign Office (FO) strongly urged the interim Afghan government to take decisive action against those responsible for the December 12 attack on security forces in Dera Ismail Khan, handing them over to Pakistan.
This attack, the deadliest on security forces this year, resulted in the martyrdom of at least 23 Pakistan Army soldiers and over 30 troops wounded. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that a group of six militants attempted to storm a security post in DI Khan’s Daraban area, with their efforts thwarted. Subsequently, there were explosions, including a suicide bombing, causing numerous casualties.
The Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), an affiliate of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a purported video showing militants using thermal scopes to target security personnel. Despite security officials disputing the video’s authenticity, the FO issued a statement shortly after the attack, demanding immediate and verifiable actions from the Afghan government against militant groups causing terror in Pakistan. A demarche was issued to Afghan Charge d’Affaires Sardar Ahmad Shakib.
In response, the Afghan interim government promised to investigate the terror attack but also urged Islamabad to avoid blaming Kabul for every issue. Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid expressed shock at the attack, pledging to look into Pakistan’s demands. However, he urged Pakistan to enhance its security measures instead of pointing fingers at Afghanistan, asserting that Kabul does not permit its soil to be used against any country.
FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch, in a weekly press briefing, emphasized the need for Afghanistan to take robust action against the perpetrators of the attack and hand them over to Pakistan, including the TTP leadership in Afghanistan. Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable steps from Afghanistan to prevent terrorist entities from using Afghan soil. Baloch welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s expressions of sympathy and condolences, noting that TTP, to which TJP is affiliated, is listed by the UNSC’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee. UNSC members urged bringing the attackers, financiers, and organizers to justice and called for active cooperation with the Government of Pakistan and relevant authorities.
Addressing reports on dialogue with the TTP, Baloch asserted that Pakistan categorically rejects such claims and is not engaged in talks with the TTP, nor are discussions taking place in any third country.
