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Pakistan’s PM claims terrorist attacks up by 60% since return of IEA
Pakistan’s Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar claimed on Wednesday that terrorist attacks in his country have increased by 60 percent in the last two years since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) reclaimed power in August 2021.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Kakar said that the ongoing deportation of “illegal immigrants” is connected to counter-terrorism activities.
He said that Pakistan had hoped that Afghan soil would not be used for terror activities against Pakistan after the establishment of the interim Afghan government in August 2021, and that the IEA would bring long-term peace to the neighboring country, Express Tribune reported.
“[We had hoped] strict action would be taken against Pakistan-opposing groups, especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and they would absolutely not be allowed to use Afghan soil against Pakistan,” said Kakar.
“But unfortunately, after the establishment of the interim Afghan government, there has been a 60 percent increase in terror incidents and a 500 percent rise in suicide attacks in Pakistan,” he added.
“In the past two years, 2,267 innocent citizens’ lives have been lost to this tragic bloodshed, for which the terrorists of TTP are responsible,” he said.
“During this time, 15 Afghan citizens were also among the people involved in suicide attacks. Apart from this, till now, 64 Afghan citizens have been killed while fighting Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies during the counterterrorism campaign,” he added.
Kakar fell short of providing details about the purported involvement of Afghan nationals in any specific terror attack.
On November 1, Pakistani authorities initiated a crackdown against “undocumented” Afghan nationals.
The move has been heavily criticized by rights’ groups and members of civil society.
IEA said that Afghanistan is not responsible for the ‘security failure’ of Pakistan.
“These are false and repeated claims. We must mention that we have a position that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against any other country, including Pakistan, and that Pakistan should understand and prevent its own problems in its own soil. Afghanistan is not responsible for the attacks in Pakistan,” IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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