Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar of Pakistan on Sunday reiterated his calls on the Taliban to take decisive action against militants “who use Afghan soil for attacks in Pakistan.“
In an interview with Pakistani Geo News TV, Kakar urged the Taliban to either address the threats independently or surrender them to Islamabad.
A recent report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) disclosed a 79% increase in terrorist activities during the first half of 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year.
Pakistan attributes this surge to the Taliban and has consistently implored the group to curtail cross-border attacks and prevent the exploitation of Afghan territory against Pakistan.
Kakar expressed his dissatisfaction with the Taliban’s inaction against terrorist activities targeting Pakistan, deeming it unacceptable.
Concerning the strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul, Kakar emphasized his primary role as a Pakistani citizen, stressing the importance of both countries honestly considering their expectations from each other.
“All Afghans are equally important for Pakistan…Pakistan and Afghanistan should think honestly about what they expect from each other,” Kakar said.
He highlighted the significance of taking action against terrorists, asserting that the Taliban is aware of the hideouts of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan.
The Pakistani Prime Minister also underscored that talks cannot be held at gunpoint.
As of now, the Taliban has not commented on the matter, maintaining its stance that militancy is an internal issue for Pakistan to address.
