'Will pay back...': Pakistan warns India, Afghanistan after terror attacks
What's the story
Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stern warning to Afghanistan and India in the wake of two terrorist attacks. The first attack occurred at Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan, while the second struck Islamabad. In an interview with Geo News, Asif accused the Taliban regime of sheltering terrorists responsible for these attacks. "Pakistan will never initiate any military adventure," he said, adding, "We will not let any act of aggression go unanswered; we will respond forcefully."
Accusations made
'Pay back in same coin'
Asif said that Pakistan would "pay back in the same coin" if India and Afghanistan carried out any misadventure. He rejected the Afghan Taliban regime's condemnation of the attacks, saying such statements "could not be taken as proof of sincerity." "Those sheltered by the Afghan Taliban are repeatedly attacking us," he said.
Terror attack
Blast in Islamabad killed at least 12 people
The warning comes after a powerful explosion near the Islamabad judicial complex on Tuesday killed 12 people and injured over 25 others, mostly lawyers, Pakistani media reported. The blast, which was a suicide attack, occurred at 12:30pm during peak business hours near the entrance of the district court. Asif also expressed doubts about successful negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, adding that attacks in Islamabad sent a direct message from Kabul. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.
Airstrikes
Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghan territory in October
In mid-October, Pakistan conducted airstrikes on Afghan territory, targeting suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban or Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists. The strikes killed at least 10 civilians, including three local cricketers, and injured more than a dozen others. Pakistani officials said the operation was preemptive against TTP terrorists allegedly using Afghan soil to launch attacks into Pakistan.