Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of not fulfilling its obligations as neighbor

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Expressing anger over recent attacks against Pakistani security forces, Islamabad on Saturday accused Afghanistan of not fulfilling its obligations as a neighbor.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Kabul is not abiding the commitments made in the 2020 Doha agreement.

"Five to six million Afghans are living from past 40 to 50 years with all rights [in Pakistan] while on the other side those terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis can find refuge on Afghan soil," Asif said in a tweet.

"This situation cannot continue any longer. Pakistan will use all its resources to protect its land and citizens," he warned.

His statement came just a day after Pakistan's army chief Gen. Asim Munir claimed Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militants have freedom of action across the border in Afghanistan, urging Kabul not to allow its soil to be used against any country.

"The Armed Forces of Pakistan have serious concerns about the safe havens and liberty of action available to the TTP in Afghanistan," Munir said on Friday.

The TTP is a conglomerate of several militant groups in Pakistan that Islamabad believes are currently inside Afghanistan.

"It is expected that the interim Afghan government would not allow the use of its soil to perpetrate terror against any country, in the real sense and in line with commitments made in the (2020) Doha Agreement," he added.

On Wednesday, at least 12 Pakistani soldiers and seven militants were killed in two attacks and operations in the Zhob and Sui areas of Pakistan's Balochistan province.