Pakistan claims terrorist attacks up by 60% since return of Afghan Taliban in Kabul

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Pakistan claimed on Wednesday that terrorist attacks in the country have increased by 60% in the last two years since the Afghan Taliban reclaimed power in Aug. 2021.

Interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, speaking to reporters in the capital Islamabad, accused the interim Afghanistan administration of providing support to the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP), which he claimed is using Afghan soil against Pakistan.

"During the last two years when Afghan Taliban returned to power, terrorist attacks have increased by 60% while suicide attacks increased by 500% in Pakistan," Kakar said.

He added that 2,267 Pakistanis lost their lives in these attacks.

"We shared all the details with the Afghan interim government, but they did not take action against TTP terrorists who are living in Afghanistan and using that soil against us," state-run Pakistan Television cited the Pakistani premier as saying.

The TTP is a conglomeration of several Pakistani militant groups that Islamabad claims are currently inside Afghanistan.

However, Kabul denies that its soil is being used against Islamabad.

Kakar said his country has decided to expel undocumented foreigners in accordance with Pakistani laws, and that they will expel all illegal immigrants who are living in the country without valid documents.

"We demand that the Afghan government expel all illegal Pakistanis from its country, and we are ready to receive them," he said, adding that Pakistan also handed over a list of wanted people living in Afghanistan, but the Taliban government has yet to take action.

He warned that "use of Afghan soil against Pakistan would not be tolerated."

Last month, the Pakistani government announced that all undocumented foreigners, primarily Afghan refugees, would be deported, with an Oct. 31 deadline.

So far, according to Kabul, over 300,000 undocumented Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland.

"Legal Afghan refugees can live and work in Pakistan," Kakar said.