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  "path": "/news/1974353/demarche-issued-to-afghanistan-over-terror-attack-in-kps-bajaur",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-19T08:48:59.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "Pakistan",
    "martyred",
    "demarche to Afghanistan"
  ],
  "textContent": "Pakistan issued a demarche to the Taliban regime over the use of Afghan soil for a terrorist attack on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur that martyred 11 soldiers, it emerged on Thursday.\n\nAccording to a press release by the Foreign Office (FO), the demarche was issued on Wednesday afternoon when the FO summoned the Afghan deputy head of mission.\n\n“Pakistan condemned in the strongest possible terms the vehicle-borne suicide terrorist attack followed by a fire raid on Pakistan military and law enforcement agencies’ posts in Bajaur, carried out by _Fitna al Khawarij_ [or] the TTP,” the statement said.\n\n_Fitna al Khawarij_ is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).\n\nThe FO expressed concern that the group, whose entire leadership is based in Afghanistan, “operates with impunity from Afghan soil”.\n\nIt re-emphasised that Pakistan had received repeated assurances from the Afghan Taliban regime, “but, regrettably, with no visible or concrete actions”.\n\n“The Afghan Taliban regime has been told to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership,” the press release said.\n\nThe ministry also “categorically informed” the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan “reserved the right to respond and eliminate any _khawarij_ belonging to the group as well as their affiliates”, wherever they were located, “to ensure [the] safety of its soldiers, civilians and territorial boundaries”.\n\nAccording to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a terror attack involving an explosive-laden vehicle on a checkpost in Bajaur martyred 11 security personnel on Monday.\n\nThe statement added that 12 terrorists were eliminated after security forces retaliated and “engaged the fleeing _khawarij_ with precision”.\n\nPresident Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack and extended condolences to the families of martyrs.\n\nPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed sorrow at the loss of lives and condemned the attack in the “strongest terms”.\n\nPakistan had also issued a demarche to Afghanistan in late December, over its failure to rein in terrorist organisations ope­r­ating from Afghan soil, after a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan.",
  "title": "Demarche issued to Afghanistan over terror attack in KP’s Bajaur"
}