Highlighting the regional security fallout of developments in Afghanistan, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday said that the political transition in Kabul in 2021 marked a critical shift that reignited terrorism across the region, with serious implications for Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains the worst-affected province by terrorism, accounting for nearly 71% of terrorist incidents nationwide.
He attributed the surge in violence to a political-criminal-terror nexus and a politically conducive environment that has emboldened militant groups.
“Should the state pledge allegiance to terrorists if operations are not carried out?” he asked, warning that any resistance to counter-terrorism efforts directly benefits extremist elements.
“It is the duty of the army to protect Pakistan’s security,” he noted, adding that terrorism is not a provincial issue but a national threat.
He questioned why certain groups had never been attacked by Fitna al-Khawarij, noting that all political parties have faced terrorist attacks, except those attempting to present themselves as the “approved voice” of extremists.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said political changes in Afghanistan in 2021 proved to be a major turning point in the resurgence of terrorism across the region.
He said the security situation deteriorated after the Doha Agreement, with direct consequences for Pakistan’s internal security.
Lt Gen Chaudhry revealed that several terrorist groups are operating at a regional level and are receiving financial and logistical support through different proxies.
He disclosed that around $7.2 million has been provided to terrorists, along with bulletproof jackets and other protective equipment.
The DG ISPR said that internal political factionalism and weak governance in Afghanistan have further strengthened terrorist networks.
He added that the Afghan Taliban played a calculated “graded game” at various levels, which allowed militant organizations to regroup and expand their influence.
Lt Gen Chaudhry said that after 2021, the Afghan Taliban began reorganizing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as a central or “mother” organization.
He added that the TTP was given an Afghan Taliban-style organizational structure, including training systems, command direction, and strategic guidance, significantly enhancing its operational capacity.
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