On Monday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared his commitment to eradicating terrorism from the country in response to a roadside explosion that tragically claimed the lives of seven army soldiers, including a captain, in north-western Pakistan.
The blast, targeting a vehicle carrying soldiers in the Lakki Marwat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, occurred on Sunday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army’s media wing.
Sharif conveyed his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and stressed that such inhumane acts of violence must be stopped all over the country.
"Deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Pak Army personnel including a Captain in a targeted attack in Lakki Marwat District. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers and citizens is a debt on us that we must repay by relentlessly eliminating terrorism from our nation. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," PM Sharif, expressing deep sorrow over the soldiers' martyrdom, as emphasised on his social media account X (formerly Twitter).
The region, bordering Afghanistan, has faced numerous attacks against police, security forces, and civilians amid a recent surge in violence.
Meanwhile, the ISPR affirmed its steadfastness in combating militancy despite attacks on its soldiers.
"Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the statement reads.
The Pakistani prime minister's declaration comes amidst a resurgence of militant violence in the country's western provinces, KP and Balochistan, following the termination of the fragile truce between the government and the Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan(TTP)* in November 2022.
According to Arab News, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but TTP will probably fall under suspicion. The media report reads taht the organisation made dozens of recent attacks in KP. At least four policemen and a prayer leader were fatally shot by gunmen last week. Additionally, three anti-polio vaccine specialists and two policemen were wounded in separate incidents.
Meantime, Pakistan attributes the escalation in violence to militants based in neighbouring Afghanistan, although Kabul rejects these accusations, asserting that the growing unrest in Pakistan is an internal matter for Islamabad to address.
*banned terrorist organisation in Russia and other countries