Terrorism in Afghanistan has increased because of the 40-year-long insurgency in the country, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria stated in his weekly briefing Thursday.

Earlier, a report by the Ariana Television Network (ATN) had stated that the Afghan Defence Ministry, in response to the announcement of Khyber-4, had called for military operations in "terrorist centres placed in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta under the monitoring of the United States (US) and China".

"Pakistan has completed health, education and other developmental projects in Afghanistan with $500 million of American aid," FO reminded critics across the border, also adding that prominent leaders of the Haqqani network have been killed in Afghanistan.

Both Kulbhushan Jadhav and Ehsanullah Ehsan had confirmed the presence of India's spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in Afghanistan and that it is operating in Pakistan, the FO spokesman added.

FO statement came a day after the United States (US) Department of State said, in its annual Country Reports on Terrorism 2016, that Islamabad has failed to take significant action to constrain the ability of the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network to operate from "Pakistan-based safe havens".

"Pakistan will continue playing its role for peace and stability in Afghanistan," the FO said, adding that its efforts to counter terrorism have been acknowledged across the globe.

Ceasefire violations by India

Zakaria also said that India is heightening tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and working boundary to divert international attention from its "heinous crimes" in Kashmir.

"Yesterday, as a result of this unprovoked action, one of our brave soldiers embraced martyrdom and two were critically injured," the FO said.

The Indian deputy high commissioner (DHC) was also summoned on Thursday to the FO to protest the ceasefire violations. It was the second time in two days that the Indian DHC had been summoned by the FO.

The FO's director general of South Asia condemned the "unprovoked" Indian action which resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injuries to five others on Wednesday. Indian forces have violated the ceasefire 594 times to-date this year, the FO said.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.