ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday that cross-border attacks by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) originating from Afghanistan are unacceptable and a major strain on relations between Islamabad and the Taliban government.
Speaking at an official meeting, Mr. Sharif emphasized that Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban to cease their alleged support for the TTP, a militant group responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Pakistan.
“Our request is for better relations, increased engagement, enhanced trade, and broader cooperation,” Mr. Sharif said. “But it is regrettable that the TTP continues to operate from Afghan soil, killing innocent Pakistanis. This policy cannot continue. We have conveyed this message to the Afghan government multiple times.”
The remarks come amid rising tensions between the two neighbors, following a Pakistani airstrike this week on a Waziristani refugee camp in Barmal district of Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
The Taliban reported that the airstrike killed 46 people, including women and children, and injured six others. UNICEF stated that among the dead were at least 20 children.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) issued a statement calling for a thorough investigation into the airstrike and accountability for those responsible.
Pakistan has frequently accused the Taliban of harboring TTP fighters and allowing them to use Afghan territory as a base for attacks on Pakistan. The Taliban, however, have denied these allegations.
A U.N. sanctions monitoring group recently reported that an estimated 6,000 TTP fighters are present in Afghanistan, further heightening concerns about cross-border militancy.
The ongoing tensions have significantly strained ties between Pakistan and the Taliban, with both sides exchanging accusations over their respective roles in fostering instability.
