Two Pakistan intelligence officers gunned down in Punjab province
A gunman has shot and killed officials with Pakistan’s intelligence carrier out of doors a roadside eating place withinside the east of the country, police and protection officers stated.
Murtaza Bhatti, a senior police officer withinside the Punjab province’s district of Khanewal, stated the assault on Tuesday happened as the 2 officials have been parking their vehicle.
No one has claimed duty for killing the officials, who have been recognised for arresting participants of the Pakistani Taliban and different armed groups. They have been additionally recognised for his or her know-how in investigating and fixing complex cases, which includes gun and bomb assaults in Pakistan.
Officials stated one of the slain officials turned into the director of the provincial counterterrorism department, which has performed a key position in arresting participants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, additionally referred to as Pakistani Taliban.
The armed organization has stepped up assaults on protection forces in latest months after unilaterally finishing a ceasefire with the Pakistan authorities in November.
The Pakistani Taliban are separate however allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized energy in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of NATO and United States troops after twenty years of conflict.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Monday that a latest “wave of terrorist assaults” in Pakistan turned into coming from Pakistani Taliban hiding in Afghanistan. He requested Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to prevent such combatants from the use of their soil for assaults in Pakistan.
On Tuesday, Afghan Taliban’s leader spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, stated Afghanistan desired proper family members with all its neighbouring countries, which includes Pakistan. But he additionally requested Islamabad to chorus from making provocative statements which can cause mistrust.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan values peace and balance in its country, it needs peace and balance for the entire vicinity and keeps its efforts on this way,” he stated.
He stated the “Islamic Emirate is making an attempt its quality to make sure that Afghanistan’s territory isn’t used towards Pakistan or every other country”.
