Pakistan hands over the body of a terrorist killed in Balochistan to Afghanistan

RAWALPINDI: Pakistani authorities have handed over the body of an Afghan terrorist to Afghan officials, urging Afghanistan to take stronger measures against cross-border terrorism, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Tuesday.

The deceased, identified as 48-year-old Muhammad Khan Ahmedkhel, was killed on January 11 in the Sambaza area of Zhob, Balochistan. The ISPR revealed that Ahmedkhel was an Afghan national from the Wazekhwa district of Paktika province and the son of Haji Qasim Dawran Khan.

After completing the necessary procedural formalities, Pakistan transferred the remains of Ahmedkhel to the interim Afghan government’s officials on January 20. The ISPR statement emphasised that such incidents serve as clear evidence of Afghan nationals’ involvement in terrorist activities targeting Pakistan.

Pakistan has called on the Afghan government to fulfil its responsibilities by preventing the use of Afghan territory for carrying out cross-border terrorism. This latest development follows reports that Ahmedkhel, also known as Abdullah, was an Afghan spy involved in smuggling weapons and ammunition from Afghanistan into Pakistan. These weapons were reportedly used in attacks within Pakistan.

Security sources further confirmed that Ahmedkhel was killed while attempting to flee to Afghanistan, and he had been actively involved in facilitating terrorist attacks by supplying arms to militants in Pakistan.

The exchange comes amidst an ongoing surge in cross-border attacks, especially following the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan has intensified operations against militants while urging Afghanistan to curb the activities of terrorist groups operating from its soil, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The situation has contributed to a rise in fatalities and attacks in Pakistan, with the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) reporting that 2024 has been the deadliest year in a decade for both Pakistan’s civil and military security forces, with at least 685 fatalities and 444 terror attacks.