Information Minister Tarar alleges terrorists in Afghanistan attempted incursions, prompting targeted Pakistani strikes that killed dozens
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, stated on Tuesday that the country’s security forces effectively foiled several attempted terrorist incursions from Afghanistan during a recent 48-hour ceasefire.
In an official statement, Tarar claimed that “foreign” terrorists, specifically from the Gul Bahadur group, attempted to launch attacks from Afghan territory into Pakistan’s border regions of North and South Waziristan. He asserted that Pakistan’s subsequent retaliatory strikes targeted the group’s bases.
“Security forces have conducted precise operations against these foreign terrorists,” Tarar said, claiming that “over 100” terrorists were killed in the recent actions, with a confirmed 60 to 70 eliminated in the previous night’s strikes alone.
The minister’s comments come amidst heightened cross-border tensions. He confirmed that a separate IED attack on a vehicle in North Waziristan, which he also attributed to the Gul Bahadur group, had killed one soldier and several civilians.
Tarar vehemently denied all claims of civilian casualties in the Pakistani strikes, labelling them as “false propaganda” aimed at generating support for terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan.
He reiterated that while Pakistan believes a negotiated solution is possible, it reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity and citizens. “We will not allow the terrorists active from Afghan soil to sit in peace,” he warned.
This public accusation of cross-border attacks from Afghanistan adds a sharp new dimension to the ongoing diplomatic efforts, following the recent high-level talks between the two nations in Doha which were centered on this very issue.
