Islamabad, Mar 19: Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Thursday said the country “would not tolerate the use of Afghan soil for conduct of terrorism against our people”.
Munir made the comment during an interaction with Ulema of Ahl-e-Tasheeh (Shiite) community at Rawalpindi, the army said in a statement.
Referring to Operation Ghazab lil Haq (Righteous Fury), he emphasised that “Pakistan will not tolerate use of Afghan soil for conduct of terrorism against our people, and reiterated the resolve to eliminate terrorists and their infrastructure operating against Pakistan.”
Pakistan launched the operation on February 26 in response to alleged attacks by the Afghan Taliban forces along the 2,600-km-long border.
Munir further said that Afghan Taliban must prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s efforts and “pro-active diplomacy in seeking regional de-escalation”.
He emphasised the critical role of Ulema to strengthen unity and counter extremism, reiterating that religious sentiments must not be exploited to incite violence in the country.
“Violence in Pakistan, on the basis of incidents occurring in another country, will not be tolerated,” he said.
The participating Ulema expressed their desire for peace, stability, and condemned violence in the name of religion, while expressing wholehearted support to law enforcement agencies in bringing about peace and stability in the country.
Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday announced a “temporary pause” in fighting in view of Eid-ul-Fitr and at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Qatar, a day after the Afghan government accused Islamabad of killing 400 people in an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.
