FO summons Afghan envoy, issues demarche over Karachi terror attack

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Monday said the Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned and issued a strong demarche over the terrorist attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi.

In a statement, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Afghan envoy was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last night, and a strong demarche was issued regarding the attack.

A similar demarche was simultaneously conveyed by Pakistan’s Ambassador Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

“These demarches were issued in light of the fact that Afghan nationals, including one apprehended alive, participated in this attack, proving yet again that Afghan soil and Afghan nationals continue to be used to orchestrate terrorist attacks inside Pakistan,” Andrabi said.

Three Pakistan Rangers personnel embraced martyrdom and four others were injured when militants belonging to an Indian proxy, Jamaat ul Ahrar, launched a coordinated attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi on Saturday, the ISPR said.

The incident was first reported near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 6, where intense firing accompanied by an explosion prompted an immediate response from police and other law enforcement agencies. Roads connecting Mosmiyat Chowrangi to Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 6, Kamran Chowrangi and Chaman Iqbal Colony were closed for traffic following the incident.

According to the ISPR, the assailants detonated a blast at the main gate of the camp before attempting to breach the perimeter security. The attack was decisively foiled by the vigilant response of Rangers troops, who eliminated three militants and captured one, identified as an Afghan national, in an injured condition.

The ISPR identified the attackers as Khwarij belonging to Jamaat ul Ahrar, calling the assault a cowardly terrorist attack carried out by an Indian proxy organisation. Sanitisation operations were subsequently launched in the area to eliminate any other militants who may be present.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah sought a detailed report from the Sindh IGP and Karachi AIG, while Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar also sought an immediate report from the Karachi AIG regarding the incident.

The ISPR said the relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam by security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue at full pace to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country, adding that Pakistan would undertake retribution operations against the perpetrators to avenge the martyrdom of its soldiers.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers, saying their sacrifices further reinforced the nation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding Pakistan at all costs.