ISLAMABAD – Amid an alarming surge in terror attacks, Pakistan again hinted at strikes at militant hideouts across the border in Afghanistan as TTP and its splinter groups are still using Afghan soil for attacks in Pakistan.
The recent remarks were made by the Pakistani Defence Minister who alarmed the Taliban-led administration in neighboring country about possible strike at terrorists’ hideouts if Kabul continues to give shelter to hardcore militants.
Khawaja Asif spoke to a foreign news outlet in which he called on the interim Afghanistan government to fulfill commitments barring anti-Pakistan militants from using its soil.
Sharing his side, the PML-N stalwart said Pakistan will have to take some serious measures, as there are terrorist sanctuaries that continue to nurture on Afghan soil, and we will have to hit them, as the current situation cannot be tolerated for much long.
Several Pakistani regions especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan witnessed a spike in terror attacks led by TTP and other militant outfits. Over 250 terror attacks occurred last year, of which the TTP was responsible for nearly 100.
Pakistani government continues to lament TTP leadership operating from Afghanistan and now the armed forces are now mulling a grand military operation in border areas.
The fifth most populous nation is already in shambles as the economic and political crisis deepened amid rising external debt payments, plunging foreign reserves, and stalled bailout talks with IMF.
