Pakistan dismisses Afghan regime spokesperson Zabihullah’s remarks

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting strongly denounced the terrorist attack on residents and police officers during Friday prayers in Kohat and said Pakistan is gravely worried over the use of Afghan soil by militant groups.

In a statement published here on Saturday, the ministry claimed that the incident was carried out by Khawarij having origins in Afghanistan and added that terrorism has no religion and no justification.

The ministry also expressed alarm about what it termed terrorist sanctuaries and recruitment networks in Afghanistan, calling them a direct danger to Pakistan’s security.

It also dismissed comments by Afghan Taliban representative Zabihullah Mujahid warning of dire consequences for Pakistan. The ministry emphasized that the Afghan Taliban should take action against the extremist networks operating from Afghan soil and not pass the buck to Pakistan.

The ministry also urged the Afghan authorities to exercise their counterterrorism responsibilities under the Doha Agreement, saying the Afghan Foreign Ministry’s criticism of the attack on Kohat was not enough.

“Verbal sympathy would need to be translated into concrete and verifiable actions,” the statement read.

The ministry said Pakistan would take all required steps under international law to preserve its citizens, borders and sovereignty. It also reaffirmed the country’s proclaimed determination and capacity to combat the menace of terrorism.

It asked the international community to pressure the Afghan Taliban to take what Pakistan said was significant action against militant groups, warning the threat might have wider regional ramifications.