Balochistan caretaker Minister for Information Jan Achakzai has said that if there was no let up in militant activity from Afghanistan, Pakistan would “go into terrorist hideouts and teach them a lesson”.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Achakzai said that Pakistan had been hosting Afghan refugees for the last 40 years.
“But in return, instead of discouraging terrorism and terror, it is concerning that they are being given militant hideouts and advanced weaponry.”
The minister said that Pakistan had placed its demands in front of the Afghan Taliban and had repeatedly made it clear that it was against all kinds of militancy.
“For us, the crime of terrorists and their facilitators is equal,” he said. “We know how to give a befitting response to terrorism. If, despite repeated advice, this situation does not stop, we will go into terrorist hideouts and teach them a lesson.”
He further said: “It is a fact of life that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has been provided arms [and] low-level Afghan commanders are with them.”
He said that six terrorists were killed in Zhob on Oct 31, adding that they were Afghans. He claimed that the US Congress had also stated that the Afghan Taliban had handed over arms to the TTP.
“As far as engagement [with Kabul] is concerned, we have engagement at the Foreign Office level,” he said, adding that Pakistan was also engaging with Afghan authorities with regards to the government’s repatriation plan for illegal immigrants.
“But playing a double game with Pakistan in this regard is unfortunate,” he said.
Achakzai emphasised Pakistan’s opposition to all forms of militancy and stated that if the situation doesn’t improve, Pakistan will raid terrorist hideouts to address the issue.
The surge in terror activities in Pakistan, especially in KP and Balochistan, is attributed to the TTP which ended its ceasefire in November last year, with the caretaker prime minister linking recent attacks to the Taliban government in Afghanistan and its deportation policies.
