Kunar attacks: Pakistan heaps scorn at Afghan allegations

Foreign Office spokesperson says Kabul’s accusations are baseless.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has rubbished allegations by Afghanistan that its servicemen disguised in civilian clothes were conducting attacks in the northeastern Afghan province of Kunar.

“We reject these baseless allegations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in a statement.

“The fact is that Pakistan armed forces have been attacked repeatedly by terrorists operating from Afghan territory. Our armed forces have acted only in self-defence, with maximum restraint and responsibility,” Tasnim said.

In a veiled threat, the spokesperson said that Kabul must refrain from taking any action that may be detrimental to peace and stability on the border.

“Pakistan is engaged in a major effort to address the scourge of terrorism. We believe the unfounded allegations from the Afghan side not only vitiate the environment but also serve to undermine the efforts for constructive engagement between the two countries,” she said.

The spokesperson said Pakistan would neither be deterred from addressing the challenges at hand, nor from building a friendly and cooperative relationship with the people of Afghanistan.

Earlier this month, Pakistan launched a military offensive in North Waziristan against militants. It also asked the Afghan authorities to seal the long porous border between the two countries in order to prevent militants from fleeing across the border.

While Afghanistan is experiencing a rise in insurgent attacks, Kabul has routinely pointed fingers at Islamabad and accused it of being behind most incidents.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2014.