ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday said there has been an increase in terror incidents in Pakistan since the interim Afghan government came to power in 2021, as he linked the ongoing deportation drive of illegal immigrants to counter-terrorism actions.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021 after a lightning sweep that ended in Kabul as government forces, trained for years and equipped by the United States and others at a cost of trillions of dollars, melted away.

Addressing the media in Islamabad, he said, “After the establishment of the interim Afghan government in August 2021, we had a strong hope that there would be long-term peace in Afghanistan. […] Strict action would be taken against Pakistan-opposing groups, especially the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, and they would absolutely not be allowed to use Afghan soil against Pakistan.

“But unfortunately, after the establishment of the interim Afghan govt, there has been a 60 per cent increase in terror incidents and 500pc rise in suicide attacks in Pakistan,” he claimed.

The premier further said, “In the past two years, 2,267 innocent citizens’ lives have been lost to this tragic bloodshed, for which the terrorists of TTP are responsible.”

However, the prime minister did not provide any further details about the alleged involvement of Afghan nationals in any specific terror attack.