The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned and handed a “strong demarche” over the suicide attack in Bannu, which claimed the lives of 15 police personnel.

In a statement, the FO said, “The Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to deliver a strong demarche regarding the cowardly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) attack carried out by terrorists of Fitna al Khawarij on the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu District on May 9.”

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, while Fitna al Hindustan is a term designated by the state for terrorist organisations in Balo­chistan.

“The ministry conveyed that a detailed investigation into the incident, along with evidence collected and technical intelligence, indicates that the attack was masterminded by terrorists residing in Afghanistan,” the FO said.

“Reiterating Pakistan’s grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, it was impressed upon the Afghan side that Pakistan reserves the right to respond decisively against the perpetrators of this barbaric act,” the statement added.

It was also highlighted that the continued presence of various terrorist organisations on Afghan soil, and the permissive environment enabling their operations, were documented in reports by the United Nations Monitoring Team and other international organisations.

“The fight against terrorism is a common cause, and the Afghan Taliban must honour their commitment not to allow their territory to be used for terrorism against other countries,” the FO said.

It stated that Pakistan had repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to take concrete and verifiable action against Fitna al Khawarij, Fitna al Hindustan, and ISKP/Daesh elements operating from Afghan soil.

“Pakistan has also constructively engaged with the Afghan Taliban regime through several rounds of talks mediated by brotherly and friendly countries. However, the Afghan Taliban have consistently failed to commit to, or deliver, meaningful and verifiable action against these terrorist outfits,” the statement said.

“The Afghan Taliban regime has also been categorically informed that, if it continues to harbour these terrorist organisations, Pakistan will not compromise on its national security or on the safety and protection of its citizens,” the FO concluded.

At least 15 police officers were martyred and three others wounded late on Saturday night after terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into Fateh Khel police post in Bannu, followed by attacks from multiple directions with heavy weaponry and drones.

Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan confirmed that a total of 18 police personnel were on duty at the post when it was attacked. The initial assault began when terrorists drove a vehicle filled with explosives into the post.

Following the massive blast, militants opened heavy fire and launched a multi-pronged ground attack, according to authorities. “Fifteen were martyred and three sustained injuries,” the RPO said.

A senior administration official in Bannu told AFP the assailants also used quadcopters during the assault.

Recent Pak-Afghan ties

There has been a resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.

Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border.

From March 18 to 23, Pakistan observed a five-day temporary pause in the operation on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, with the FO later saying it would continue “until its objectives are achieved”.

De-escalation requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye were part of the reasons behind the pauses announced by both sides, according to their respective statements.

In early March, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had said that peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan could only prevail if the Taliban regime “renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations”.

In April, the two countries held talks in China’s Urumqi and agreed to avoid any escalation in their armed conflict.