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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the ongoing terrorist activities of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from across the Afghanistan border, calling them intolerable and a red line, and urged the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to take immediate action against the group, ARY News reported on Friday.
In a federal cabinet meeting, Shehbaz emphasised that the TTP, operating from Afghanistan, continues to carry out attacks and kill innocent people in Pakistan. "This cannot go on. We have conveyed to the Afghan government that we desire good ties with them, but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people. This is a red line. TTP operating from there against Pakistan is unacceptable," he stated as quoted by ARY News. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of friendly ties with Afghanistan, particularly in areas like trade and economy, given their shared border, and mentioned that Pakistan is open to discussions with the Afghan administration, but a strategy that allows the TTP to operate against Pakistan is unacceptable. "We want friendly relations with each other and collaboration in the economy, trade, and other areas," Shehbaz said as quoted by ARY News. This came following the recent airstrike by the Pakistani military in Afghanistan's Barmal district of Paktika province on December 24 that had killed 46 people, including women and children, and further injured six in the process. The Pakistani military claimed the airstrikes were aimed at bases of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the region, resulting in the deaths of several militants and the destruction of four TTP bases, Khaama Press reported, citing the Pakistani media outlets close to the Pakistani Army. However, the Taliban's Ministry of Defence argued that the strike also hit "Waziristani refugees," disputing the claim that only militants were targeted. This escalation in violence has sparked tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the Taliban warning of retaliation, Khaama Press reported. (ANI)
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