Pakistan calls for motion in opposition to armed teams ‘discovering sanctuaries’ in Afghanistan, a day after a Pakistani soldier was killed in a cross-border assault.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has referred to as on the Afghan authorities to take motion in opposition to armed teams “discovering sanctuaries” in that nation, a day after a Pakistani soldier was killed in a cross-border assault within the northwest frontier between the 2 nations.
Pakistan overseas ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri on Thursday stated the soldier had been killed by firing throughout the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that focused a army put up in Pakistan’s northwestern Mohmand district.
“Pakistan strongly condemns using Afghan soil by terrorists for actions in opposition to Pakistan,” stated Chaudhri.
“Pakistan calls upon the federal government of Afghanistan to take fast motion in opposition to the terrorists and terrorist teams discovering sanctuaries in Afghanistan to focus on Pakistani safety forces.”
Pakistani army forces responded to the firing, stated a quick army assertion on the incident, however there was no affirmation on any casualties inflicted on the attackers.
The rebuke from Pakistan comes as Afghan authorities negotiators are resuming peace talks with the Taliban within the Qatari capital of Doha this week.
The talks in Doha resume whilst violence continues to rage in Afghanistan, with at the least 5 journalists and the deputy governor of the capital Kabul killed in a collection of assaults since November.
The Taliban has denied accountability for the assaults, whereas the federal government says the armed group has been appearing in unhealthy religion as negotiations proceed.
On the agenda in Doha would be the drawing up of a plan for post-war Afghanistan and an try to determine a nationwide ceasefire.
The primary spherical of the talks, which started in September, ended final month after the 2 sides agreed to the procedural guidelines for transferring ahead.
The talks will even cowl the disarming of tens of hundreds of Taliban fighters and militias loyal to tribal leaders, together with these aligned with either side, in addition to the rights of minorities and girls in post-war Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Pakistan welcomed the resumption of peace talks in Doha, which Islamabad has helped facilitate alongside america and different regional powers.
“We hope that the 2 negotiating groups would proceed to have interaction with open-mind and can observe endurance, prudence and perseverance to grab this historic alternative for peace,” learn a Pakistani overseas workplace assertion launched on Wednesday.
“We name upon either side to stay constructively engaged and present flexibility within the negotiations for reaching an inclusive, broad-based and complete political settlement which might result in lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
No clear accountability was ascribed by Pakistani officers for the assault on the Pakistani army put up in Mohmand district on Wednesday, however such assaults have beforehand been carried out by the Pakistan Taliban, an armed group identified by the acronym TTP that helps the Taliban in Afghanistan and has been combating Pakistan’s safety forces since 2007.
Operations by the Pakistani army in 2014 displaced TTP from its erstwhile strongholds in northwestern Pakistan into japanese Afghanistan.
Asad Hashim is Al Jazeera’s digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim.