Afghanistan must choose between terrorists, Pakistan: PM Shehbaz

BANNU: Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir visited Bannu where they attended a high-level meeting on the security situation and ongoing counter-terrorism operations, security sources said.

During the visit, the Prime Minister and the top general attended the funeral prayers of 12 soldiers martyred in the South Waziristan operation. Paying tribute to their sacrifices, the Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan will continue to respond to terrorism with full force and no ambiguity will be tolerated in this matter.

Sharif said that the masterminds and facilitators of terrorism in Pakistan were operating from Afghanistan with the backing of India. He said that Afghanistan has been clearly told to choose between supporting foreign elements or maintaining relations with Pakistan.

Condemning the involvement of Afghan citizens in cross-border terrorism, the Prime Minister stressed that the early repatriation of undocumented Afghans is of utmost importance for national security.

The Prime Minister said, “The people of Pakistan reject politics and misleading narratives on terrorism. Anyone who speaks in favor of foreign elements or India’s proxies is acting as their agent and will be dealt with accordingly.”

He added that the determined people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with the state and armed forces, are united like a leaden wall against Indian-backed proxies. He said the government will take all necessary administrative and legal steps to ensure a more effective response against terrorism.