Pakistan Raises Fresh Concerns Over Militants Allegedly Trained in Afghanistan

DID Press: Rana Sanaullah, a senior adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, has claimed that militants trained in Afghanistan are entering Pakistan through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and are seeking to expand their activities into Punjab province.

Sanaullah claimed that militants trained in Afghanistan are entering Pakistan through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and attempting to extend their operations to Punjab.

According to Sanaullah, Afghan nationals who received training in Afghanistan were among those responsible for some terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He warned that militant groups could expand their activities from border areas into other parts of Pakistan, amid continuing security concerns in the country.

The remarks come as relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained tense in recent months, amid mutual accusations over militant activity and cross-border attacks.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing safe havens to members of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Afghan authorities have rejected the allegations.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also described security threats originating from neighboring areas and provinces as potentially more serious than threats from neighboring countries, remarks that drew criticism from some political groups in Pakistan.

The latest Pakistani allegations come amid renewed tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. On September 3, Pakistan’s military said its forces had killed 15 militants attempting to enter North Waziristan from Afghanistan following a 36-hour engagement. Pakistan identified the militants as members of what it calls “Fitna al-Khawarij,” a designation used for the TTP. Kabul has rejected Pakistan’s broader accusations that Afghan territory is being used for attacks against Pakistan.