FO summons Afghan envoy, issues 'strong' demarche over terrorist attack on Karachi Rangers camp

The Afghan chargé d’affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) last night and a strong demarche was issued regarding the recent terrorist attack on a Rangers facility in Karachi, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Monday.

On Saturday night, terrorists attacked a local headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area, during which three security personnel were martyred and four were injured, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

ISPR said the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy Jamaatul Ahrar” (JuA), adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested, whom it identified as an Afghan national.

Andrabi confirmed Islamabad’s summoning of the envoy in a statement on Monday, in response to media queries regarding Pakistan’s demarche to the Afghan Taliban regime.

He added that a “similar demarche” was conveyed by Pakistan’s Ambassador Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani to the Afghan Mofa.

“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,” the FO spokesperson highlighted.

Following the Karachi attack, security sources said the arrested terrorist had identified himself as Usman Ali and revealed that he had come to Pakistan from Jalalabad in Afghanistan around a week ago.

According to the sources, he admitted that he belonged to JuA, whose commander in Afghanistan he identified as Ahrar Moulvi. Moreover, the sources noted, the held terrorist said he and his companions were trained in Afghanistan.

More to follow ...