After suicide bomb, Pakistan demands Taliban prevent attacks

Pakistan on Thursday demanded neighbouring Afghanistan's Taliban rulers prevent terrorist attacks coming from their soil, a day after a suicide bombing in Pakistan's southwest sent a wave of shock and anger across the country.

The bombing killed four people and appeared to target police protecting polio workers in the area. Islamabad blamed the attack on the Pakistani Taliban fighters who are hiding across the border in Afghanistan.

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At a news conference, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said the latest claim by the Pakistani Taliban underlined the threat of Afghanistan turning into a haven for militants, despite its Taliban rulers saying they would prevent such attacks from their soil, after they seized control of Afghanistan last year.

Khan said if the claim by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, known as TTP, is correct that they were behind the previous day's attack in in the city of Quetta, "then it should be a matter of concern for the Taliban."

This photo shows Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan leaders during a press conference.

Authorities said the attack killed a police officer and three civilians when the bomber blew himself near a police truck. The bombing also wounded 23 others, drawing nationwide condemnation.

The attack in the main city of Pakitan's Baluchistan province happened as the police were heading to the polio workers as part of a nationwide vaccination drive launched Monday. The blast was so powerful that it toppled the truck carrying police officers into a ravine.

The latest violence came after the Pakistani Taliban ended a ceasefire with Islamabad this week and vowed that it would immediately resume attacks across the country.

On Wednesday, the TTP said it launched the attack in Baluchistan to avenge the killing of their former spokesperson, Abdul Wali, who was known as Omar Khalid Khurasani. He was killed in a bombing in Afghanistan’s Paktika province in August.

Enayatullah Khawarazmi, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban’s Defense Ministry, rejected the allegation made by Pakistan.

"We once again assure all the countries of the region and the world that Afghanistan’s soil will never be used against other countries,” he said.

Associated Press