Pakistan asks Afghanistan to hand over perpetrators of March terror attack

Pakistan confirmed on Friday that it had formally asked Afghanistan to hand over the alleged perpetrators of a recent terrorist attack that killed five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver.

Their vehicle was targeted in the Besham area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on March 26. Pakistan's probe showed that the attack was planned and executed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from its hideouts in Afghanistan.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was asked at the weekly press briefing if Pakistan officials in a meeting in Kabul on Thursday had demanded the Afghan Interim Government to hand over the perpetrators of the March 26 Besham attack.

 

The spokesperson responded by saying yes, the answer is in the affirmative. Pakistan shared the findings into the Besham attack and sought Afghanistan's assistance in apprehending the perpetrators, she said.

She said the Afghan side had committed to prevent the use of their soil for any terrorist activity and agreed to examine the findings of the investigation and to work with Pakistan to take the investigation to its logical conclusion.

Baloch said Pakistan was committed to fighting the terror elements, terror groups and their sponsors because law enforcement and security officials lost lives, and the people of the country paid a huge sacrifice. So, Pakistan remains committed to fighting these terror elements, she said.

Baloch said that Pakistan believes that terrorism is a threat not just for Afghanistan but for Pakistan and the wider region. She said it was important that action be taken against terror groups and their sponsors so that the people of Afghanistan, the people of Pakistan and people of the wider region live in peace and security.

Earlier, on the special directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Secretary Interior Muhammad Khurram Agha, visited Kabul on Thursday and held a detailed meeting with Interim Afghan Deputy Minister for Interior Muhammad Nabi Omari.

In the meeting, which focused on the terror attack of March 26 at Besham, the Secretary Interior shared the findings of the Government of Pakistan into the Besham attack and sought Afghanistan's assistance in apprehending the perpetrators, the FO said in a separate statement.

The Afghan side reiterated its commitment to prevent the use of their soil for any terrorist activity against other countries, including Pakistan. The Afghan side also agreed to examine the findings of the investigation and expressed the resolve to work with the Pakistan side to take the investigation to its logical conclusion.

The two sides agreed to remain engaged to confront the threat posed by terrorism to regional countries and to address the concerns raised by Pakistan.