ISLAMABAD — Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused the Taliban of releasing thousands of “terrorists” from prison, who he said are now waging attacks inside Pakistan.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Sharif claimed that terrorism had been eradicated in Pakistan but resurged in 2021 after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.
“The Afghan Taliban freed thousands of terrorist militants from prison, and now they are fighting in Pakistan,” he said. “At the time, we called their victory the breaking of the chains of slavery.”
Sharif emphasized that Pakistan has suffered significant losses, with thousands killed and the military paying a heavy price.
His remarks come after the Baloch Liberation Army hijacked a passenger train in Balochistan on Tuesday, holding more than 400 passengers hostage. On Wednesday, the Pakistani military said it had killed 33 militants in a rescue operation, but four security personnel and over 50 passengers also lost their lives.
Pakistan has accused the attackers of coordinating with planners based in Afghanistan, a claim the Taliban has denied.
