Pakistan Taliban warns foreigners to leave country or face violence

Islamabad, June 16: Pakistani Taliban today warned all international organisations and individuals to leave the country or face violence as it was in a "state of war".

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said that Pakistan had buried the desire of its people for peace in the North Waziristan tribal region and launched a military operation to make its western backers happy.

"All international agencies, airlines and investors should immediately suspend all commercial ties with Pakistan and leave the country as we are in a state of war. Otherwise these foreign institutions or individuals will be responsible for any harm coming to them," he said in a statement.

Shahid said the money made by business relations with Pakistan is being used to fund the military operation and target the Muslims in the tribal region. He vowed to fight hard and make "the attackers a symbol of destruction". The statement came a day after Pakistan launched the much-awaited military operation against foreign and local militants hiding in sanctuaries near the Afghan border.

The operation was launched a week after the Pakistani Taliban brazenly attacked the Karachi airport. At least 105 militants, including the Uzbek mastermind of the Karachi airport attack, were killed yesterday in early morning raids by air force bombers in Pakistan's troubled northwestern tribal region.

The jets bombed hideouts of terrorists in Degan and Dattakhel areas of North Waziristan. The North Waziristan tribal region is considered as hub of al-Qaeda linked local and foreign terrorists.

The North Waziristan Agency has been isolated by deploying troops along its border with neighbouring agencies and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to block any movement of terrorists, a statement by the army's media wing said.

Within the Agency, troops have moved and cordoned off all terrorists bases, including the town of Mirali and Miranshah, the statement said. Surrender points have also been made for those militants who chose to quit violence and give up their arms.

Aerial surveillance of the area is being carried out by surveillance platforms, it said. The Afghan security forces have also been requested to seal the border on their side to facilitate elimination of terrorists who attempt to escape across the border, the army said.

They have also been requested to initiate immediate measures to eliminate TTP terrorists and their sanctuaries in Kunar, Nuristan and other areas of Afghanistan, it said.

PTI