'Pakistan witnessed increase in terrorism after Kabul takeover'

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq on Wednesday said that Pakistan witnessed an increase in terrorism incidents after the interim government came into power in Afghanistan.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PM Kakar noted that Pakistan had witnessed a 60 percent rise in terrorism incidents after the interim government (Taliban) came into power in Afghanistan.

The Afghan interim government must realise that the two neighbors were independent countries and must now allow its land to be used for destabilizing Pakistan, he added.

He said several Afghan nationals living in Pakistan illegally were involved in terrorism and crimes, as adding that the country had every right to deport the illegal migrants.

Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister urged Kabul to hand over all those persons who were behind the terror activities in Pakistan, which had already provided the list of wanted terrorists to the Afghan Taliban.

However, he regretted that the Afghan interim government had not taken any action against those involved in cross-border terrorism – a clear reference to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups.

Pakistan decided to take steps to tackle the situation after Kabul didn’t give a positive reaction, he said about the moves like the deportation of illegal foreign residents, adding that the statements issued by the Kabul officials made it impossible to solve the matters amicably.

Replying to several questions related to the deportation of illegal Afghan nationals and the reaction of nationalist parties in Pakistan, the caretaker prime minister said some people were taking refuge in the illegal foreigners and Pakhtun nationalism. Unregulated cross-border movement should never be allowed, Kakar stated.

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar strongly rejected the attempt to create an impression that Pakhtuns were being targeted while mentioning that he was a Pakhtun. Targeting Pakhtuns was unacceptable, Kakar told reporters.