Pakistan’s patience appears to be wearing thin as it delivered a formal demarche to the Taliban government in Afghanistan, holding it accountable for the brutal terrorist strike in Bajaur that killed 11 soldiers. The Foreign Office move underscores Islamabad’s frustration over what it calls unchecked TTP operations from Afghan bases.
According to sources, the deputy chief of Afghanistan’s mission was called in to receive the diplomatic protest. Pakistan roundly denounced the suicide truck bomb that targeted outposts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by a hail of bullets, attributing it squarely to the outlawed TTP faction.
‘The leadership of TTP is present in Afghanistan and conducting activities without hindrance,’ the note stated, highlighting Kabul’s unfulfilled promises of crackdowns. ISPR reported the Monday assault’s grim toll: 11 security forces martyred, with security forces retaliating to take out 12 militants.
Tensions simmer amid tit-for-tat claims. Just weeks ago, Afghanistan rebuffed Pakistan’s charges linking an Islamabad mosque attack to its territory, deeming them unfounded. Asif’s social media post had flagged evidence of the bomber’s Afghan links, but Kabul insisted on thorough investigations before blame games.
The Afghan Defense Ministry spotlighted a recurring Pakistani tactic to mask domestic failures, probing why pre-identified threats slipped through. It stressed Islamic tenets against civilian harm and called for policy introspection in Pakistan, including in Balochistan incidents.
With the porous border fueling endless violence, this latest diplomatic salvo could strain fragile ties further. Analysts warn of a vicious cycle unless both sides commit to verifiable counter-terror cooperation. Regional stability hangs in the balance as accusations fly and blood continues to spill.