Pakistan hands over evidence of TTP faction operating from Afghanistan

Jamaatul Ahrar claimed responsibility for Monday's terrorist attack which claimed 13 lives

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan shared on Wednesday with Afghanistan evidence of terrorist sanctuaries being used by Jamaatul Ahrar to carry out attacks inside the country.

A faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaatul Ahrar claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack outside Punjab Assembly in Lahore on Monday which claimed the lives of 13 people.

Afghan Deputy Head of Mission Syed Abdul Nasir Yousafi was called-in to the Foreign Office and handed over the dossier.

"An aide-memoire containing details of the terrorist attacks and supporting information was shared with the Afghan deputy head of mission," the foreign office said.

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The Afghan envoy was conveyed grave concerns about the continuing terrorist attacks on its soil by the terrorist outfit, the statement said.

"Attention of the senior diplomat was also drawn to the earlier actionable intelligence shared by our authorities with the Afghan side," it added.

Afghanistan, it said, was urged to take urgent measures to eliminate terrorists and their sanctuaries, financiers and handlers operating from its territory.

The attack by the militant group came three days after it announced it will carry out a series of attacks on government installations around the country. A spokesperson for the group warned in a statement that Monday’s bomb was “just the start”.

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It underscored the challenges faced by Pakistan in its push to stamp out militancy, even as security dramatically improved in 2015 and 2016.

Lahore, the country’s cultural capital, suffered one of Pakistan’s deadliest attacks during 2016 when Jamaatul Ahrar carried out a suicide attack in a park during Easter. The attack led to a death toll of more than 70, including many children.