Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to eradicating terrorism as a temporary Eid ceasefire with Afghanistan is set to expire, with cross-border tensions persisting
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister said the country remains committed to “eradicating the menace of terrorism” as a temporary ceasefire with Afghanistan neared its end.
The truce, announced for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, was set to expire at midnight on Monday.
In a Pakistan Day statement, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar indicated the country’s stance on the conflict remained unchanged. “Pakistan’s actions inside Afghanistan… are directed towards this goal,” he said.
The Taliban government and a medical source said one person was killed by a Pakistani mortar shell in the eastern border province of Kunar on Sunday.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been locked in conflict for months over Islamabad’s claims that Kabul harbours extremists. The Taliban authorities deny this claim.
The Eid truce followed a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul last Monday. Afghan authorities said the strike killed more than 400 people.
The latest bout of skirmishes began in February after earlier mediation efforts involving Gulf states and China failed. Gulf countries’ focus has shifted due to US-Israeli strikes on Iran last month.
In his own Pakistan Day message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said military action inside Afghanistan was “a symbol of our national resolve against terrorism”. “We will not allow any harm to the peace and security of our country,” he added.
