ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned recent attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), labeling them as “unacceptable” and claiming that the group is using Afghanistan’s territory to launch assaults.
Addressing his cabinet, Sharif highlighted the surge in terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which have led to significant casualties among the country’s armed forces and police.
“The rise in terrorism is a deliberate attempt to destabilize Pakistan, especially at a time when our coalition government is striving for the nation’s development,” Sharif stated.
Sharif expressed his frustration, noting Pakistan’s historical hospitality towards Afghan refugees. “We hosted millions of their people here without complaint, treating them as brothers and not as a burden. Yet, in return, we face TTP attacks aimed at disrupting our peace and economy. This is not acceptable,” he told his cabinet.
Pakistan has consistently accused the Taliban of providing safe havens to the TTP in Afghanistan. The TTP has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks, predominantly targeting Pakistani military personnel.
A UN monitoring group in a new report in July said that TTP has at least 6,500 fighters in Afghanistan.
In response, the Taliban have denied the TTP’s presence in Afghanistan, describing the matter as an internal issue of Pakistan. A recent UN report from a member state indicated that the TTP remains the largest terrorist group operating in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s regime.
