Islamabad: Around 80 militants raided a Pakistani military post overnight across the border from Afghan territory, but the attack was repulsed killing several intruders, the foreign ministry said on on Wednesday.
A ministry statement said the Pakistani military “successfully repulsed” the attack on the border post located in northwestern Upper Dir area, killing at least seven militants and injuring nine.
Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with Afghanistan, as it has done after similar cross-border attacks in the recent past.
The Afghan Charge d’ Affaires was called to the Foreign Office and a “strong protest” was lodged, the statement said.
The Afghan authorities were, once again, urged to take effective steps to stop the use of Afghan territory for repeated cross-border fire and physical attacks by terrorists, the ministry said.
It said, at a time when Pakistan was undertaking a “monumental effort” against terrorists and their hideouts through the Zarb-e-Azb military operation in its North Waziristan tribal region, all possible cooperation should be extended by the Afghan side and measures taken by them to “eliminate terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan territory,” the statement said.
Pakistan would also be taking up the issue with the Afghan government at a higher level in the broader context of enhancing security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, it said.
According to the military toll, more than 550 local and foreign militants have been killed so far in the operation launched on June 15 in North Waziristan.
Army Chief General Raheel Sharif visited North Wazirastan Agency on Tuesday to celebrate Eid with troops on the front lines.
The operation commander briefed the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on progress of the operation and the army chief expressed his “complete satisfaction” over the achievements, the military’s public relations wing said.
General Raheel Sharif appreciated the “high state of morale, courage and determination” of the troops in execution of the operation.
He advised them to stay focused on speedy and skilful conduct of operation against all terrorists.
“Now that their command and communication infrastructure has been disrupted, we will never allow them to return,” the army chief said.
He said there was need to strengthen border security to prevent any infiltration from across the border to undermine the effects of operation.
The COAS paid rich tributes to Shuhada (martyrs) and the wounded, who have rendered supreme sacrifice for defence of the country.
“We will not stop short of eradicating this menace of terrorism from across the country,” the army chief vowed and emphasised that only with sustained focus of the entire nation “we can jointly accomplish o ur objective of a terror free Pakistan.”
Later, the army chief visited camp of internally displaced people at Bannu to spend time with them.
Speaking to them, he assured them of the commitment and wholehearted support of the Army and the nation in providing around a million displaced people not only relief but in executing an ultimate resettlement plan for them.
