At least seven people, including two officers of Pakistani security forces were killed and over a dozen others received injuries in violent/terror acts occurred in different southern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday.
The victims also included a retired police officer who along with two children of his family were targeted by unknown miscreants while going from his native Lakki Marwat to Peshawar with his family. Similarly in three different acts of kidnapping a supply vehicle of security forces from NorthWaziristan, three security personnel from Tank and a private bank cash van with four of its employees from Dera Ismael Khan were also abducted by unknown persons.
Officials in North Waziristan informed that unknown miscreants opened firing against a vehicle at Norak area which caused death to a captain and injuries to two personnel. Similarly, a bomb disposal squad convoy was also attacked by unknown militants with modern and sophisticated weapons at Angor Ada South Waziristan. Pakistani security officials said that two personnel including an engineer were killed and 10 others injured in the incident.
A vehicle of a retired policeman was targeted by unknown persons on Indus Highway at Lakki Marwat as a result the retired officer along with two children were killed. Meanwhile, a young boy was killed by unknown persons in the Mirali area of North Waziristan. On the other hand, unknown persons picked up a security supply van in the Mirali area. Three personnel of FC were abducted by unknown gunmen from Tank. Likewise, four personnel of a private security company along with a cash van were abducted by unknown persons at Dera Ismael Khan.
Controversy over proposed military operation “Azim-I-Istekham”
Amidst serious controversy over proposed military operation Azm I Istehkam, the security situation is worsening day by day in Pakistan, especially in the regions bordering Afghanistan.
Unlike in the past, Pakistan is lacking support and assurances from Afghanistan in its proposed military operation. Earlier both the successive rulers ex-President Hamid Karzai and deposed President Ashraf Ghani have extended support to Pakistan in all sorts of military operations against militants conducted from 2002 till 2017. However, at this stage Afghanistan is governed by the Taliban, who are reluctant to help Pakistan in this regard.
The proposed military operation is likely to fuel further hostilities between the two neighboring countries. Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif had already threatened to target the banned Pakistani Taliban TTP across the border in Afghanistan.
Asif had recently said that Pakistan will launch a military strike against TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan and said that these operations are a necessary response to attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated since Taliban victory in 2021
Asif also emphasized that Pakistan won’t serve them (terrorists) with cake and pastries instead the country is ready to retaliate forcefully against any aggression.
However, the Taliban called TTP an internal issue of the government of Pakistan and called on Islamabad to stop blaming Afghanistan for its own security failure. Taliban also warned to take immediate action in case of any aggression from the Pakistani side.
Ties between the two controversial neighbors deteriorated after Islamabad accused Kabul of not doing enough to curb militant groups, especially Pakistani Taliban, which allegedly have sanctuaries in Afghanistan. But, the TTP group in different statements said that they are inside Pakistan and they have a large swath of land in their control and they don’t need to come to Afghanistan.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated since 2021, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops after 20 years. At the outset, it seemed that Taliban would maintain a very close tie with Pakistan due to their close ties, but the situation got worse then and both sides started blaming each other over several issues.
The Taliban and Pakistani forces also clashed on the bordering areas over three times, and also trade relations are not good. Things got worse, when Pakistan forcefully deported Afghan refugees, causing anger among Taliban officials who called on Pakistan to stop the deportation process, but ended with no positive response.
