Pakistan: Over 20,000 Militants Still Present in Afghanistan

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said on Monday that more than 20,000 members of extremist organizations remain in Afghanistan, about 6,000 of whom are members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Ambassador Arjan: Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Monday that more than 20,000 members of extremist organizations are still present in Afghanistan, of which about 6,000 are members of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan.

According to Sputnik, this Pakistani minister wrote on X social network: "Currently, more than 20,000 militants are still present in Afghanistan, of which about 6,000 are members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan." "They use safe havens and receive military training there."

Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban ruling body of allowing anti-Pakistani armed groups, especially Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, to operate from Afghanistan's soil; The accusation that the Taliban has denied and says emphasizes on dialogue and diplomacy. These differences have kept the relations between the two sides tense.

Tarar said that Islamabad is determined to eradicate extremism and terrorism in the neighboring country. He emphasized that the fight against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state near the Afghan border will continue with great determination.

The minister also described the removal of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa officials from power as a positive step. According to him, local people want to eradicate terrorism and extremism. Tarar expressed confidence that changes in local governance will allow the country to deal more effectively with the threat of terrorism.

On October 11, the government of Pakistan dismissed the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and arrested the governor of the province, who was a representative of the opposition party Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan. The government announced that the decision was taken due to the deteriorating security situation and the state government's failure to fight militancy.

Tarrar said the federal government of Pakistan is determined to end terrorism, both within the country and across the region. He added that the nations of the region deserve peace, prosperity and security.

The minister also noted that Pakistan has proven its commitment to peace by playing the role of mediator in regional peace processes in many cases.