Pakistan issues demarche to Taliban regime over use of Afghan soil for terror attack

Pakistan on Thursday issued a strong demarche to the Afghan Taliban regime over a deadly terrorist attack on its soil, sharply criticizing Kabul for allegedly allowing militants to use Afghan territory as a safe haven for cross‑border violence. The protest note was delivered after an extremist suicide vehicle bombing on February 16 at a security check post in Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , killed 11 Pakistani soldiers and one civilian and wounded others, according to official statements and military sources.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi condemned the assault “in the strongest possible terms,” saying the vehicle‑borne blast and follow‑on attack by militants affiliated with the banned Tehreek‑i‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP) referred to in official language as Fitna al Khwarij —was carried out from across the border. He said Islamabad had repeatedly warned that the group’s leadership operates with impunity from Afghan soil and expressed “serious concern” over Kabul’s failure to curb their activities, despite prior assurances.

In the demarche, Pakistan urged the Taliban administration to take immediate, concrete and verifiable action against all militant groups based in Afghanistan and warned that Islamabad reserves the right to respond and eliminate any such threats , wherever they are located, to protect its soldiers, civilians and territorial boundaries .

Kabul’s authorities did not immediately respond to Pakistan’s protest. Afghan officials have historically denied that their territory is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan and insist they will not allow any group to threaten neighbouring states. Pakistan’s diplomatic move comes amid broader strains in Islamabad‑Kabul relations, including disputes over cross‑border militancy, border management, and recent repatriation of undocumented Afghans, which together have heightened tensions between the two neighbours .