ISlamabad — Pakistan’s political and military leadership announced on Monday that no country would be allowed to shelter militants from launching attacks against the country – a clear reference to the neighboring country. Afghanistan.
The statement comes amid a spike in attacks by Pakistani Taliban militants, many of whom are holed up in neighboring Afghanistan. Attacks are on the rise across Pakistan, especially in the northwest near the Afghan border.
The announcement came after a lengthy meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Committee, attended by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the newly appointed army chief, General Asim Munir, and other officials.
According to a government statement, the commission declared that there would be “zero tolerance for terrorism in Pakistan” and that the militants would be dealt with “with the full force of the state”.
The announcement comes two weeks after Pakistani special forces killed more than two dozen prisoners with ties to the Pakistani Taliban in a raid after they overpowered guards at a counterterrorism center. father in the northwest and killed three hostages. Before the start of the rescue operation, the detainees asked to be safely transported to Afghanistan, a request the government denied.
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is separate from, but allied with, the Afghan Taliban. The Afghan Taliban took power last year as US and NATO troops were in the final weeks of withdrawing from the country after 20 years of war.
The takeover of Afghanistan has encouraged TTP militants to intensify attacks on Pakistani security forces since November when they unilaterally ended a months-long ceasefire with the Pakistani government. Increasing military violence has strained relations between the leaders of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, who brokered a ceasefire in May.
