Pakistan Demands Taliban Hand Over TTP Terrorists Behind Attack on Chinese Engineers

Pakistan Demands Taliban Hand Over TTP Terrorists Behind Attack on Chinese Engineers

Sabiha Rajpoot | May 27, 2024 | 12:54 PM IST | Pakistan News, World | Follow on Google News

Pakistan Demands Taliban Hand Over TTP Terrorists Behind Attack on Chinese Engineers

Pakistan Demands Taliban Hand Over TTP Terrorists Behind Attack on Chinese Engineers

Key Highlights:

1. Pakistan demands Taliban action against TTP terrorists involved in the Shangla attack.
2. The March 26 attack killed five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani citizen.
3. Pakistan emphasizes the need for Afghan cooperation to combat terrorism.

Pakistan has demanded the Taliban government in Afghanistan hand over members of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) responsible for the deadly attack on Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla district, according to ARY News. The March 26 attack in Bisham city claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani citizen.

The attack occurred when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese nationals traveling between Islamabad and a hydroelectric dam construction site in Dasu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The District Inspector General (DIG) of Malakand confirmed the suicide bombing, reported ARY News.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, alongside officials from the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Necta), addressed a press conference and stated that Pakistan had raised the issue with Afghanistan’s interim government, urging action against TTP activities originating from Afghan soil. Naqvi revealed that the TTP orchestrated the Shangla attack from within Afghanistan and called for the arrest of the group’s leadership.

Following the attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to conduct a thorough joint investigation using all state resources. Sharif chaired an emergency meeting, commending the swift response from law enforcement agencies and locals, which prevented further casualties. “Terrorism is a transnational threat aimed at stymying Pakistan’s progress and development,” Sharif stated, highlighting the importance of Pakistan-China friendship and the need to combat acts of terror that target this relationship.

On Sunday, Interior Minister Naqvi, briefing journalists, stated that investigation agencies had gathered concrete evidence showing the TTP used Afghan soil for the attack. Naqvi stressed the importance of friendly ties with Kabul, contingent on Afghan cooperation with Islamabad. Emphasizing Pakistan-China ties, Naqvi assured that the security of Chinese nationals remains a top priority.

National Coordinator NACTA, Rai Tahir, reported progress in the investigation, including the recovery of a mobile phone near the attack vehicle. Since the TTP ended its ceasefire with the Pakistani government in November 2022, Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorist activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, reported ARY News.

(Inputs from ARY News)

Sabiha Rajpoot

Sabiha Rajpoot, a young journalist, having BA- Journalism degree, writes on different scenarios. Sabiha is also a doctor degree at DHMS.