TTP is asking for extortion in Peshawar, says Sheikh Rasheed

• Sheikh Rasheed says BNP was not capable to carry out attacks in Naushki and Panjgur.
• Terrorists have contacts in India and camps in Afghanistan, he says.
• He says Daesh and other militant organizations are also increasing terrorism in the country.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed revealed that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has begun demanding extortion in Peshawar, and that TTP may have been involved in the Naushki and Panjgur attacks on security forces.

During an appearance on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, the Interior Minister said there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror against Pakistan.

On January 11, Baloch militant organisations formed the Balochistan National Army (BNA) and, behind the scenes, banned TTP and other organisations are supporting the BNA, he added.

In response to recent attacks on security forces in which seven soldiers embraced martyrdom, the Interior Minister stated that the BNP was not capable of carrying out the attacks in Naushki and Panjgur, but that TTP could be behind those attacks.

Sheikh Rasheed further said that terrorists have contacts in India and camps in Afghanistan.

He added that Daesh and other militant organisations are also increasing terrorism in the country.

He also shed light on the peace talks with the banned TTP, saying that the Taliban had played a key role in dialogues with the banned outfit, but later on, the process of talks was stopped.

Talking about recent attacks in Balochistan, Shiekh Rasheed said that terrorists enter from Afghanistan to carry out attacks in Pakistan and go back, as happened recently in two major attacks on security forces; terrorists went back to Afghanistan after conducting attacks.

He further said that it is all happening against the consent of the Taliban, adding that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) weapons are also being sold in Afghanistan and coming to Pakistan as well.

'Terrorists are still using Afghan soil to carry out attacks in Pakistan' 

On the other hand, Balochistan Chief Minister’s Adviser on Interior Zia Lango revealed in the Geo News Programme Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Saath, that terrorists are still using Afghan soil to carry out attacks in Pakistan and we have clear evidence of it.

He said that we have sent out a message to Afghanistan through the federal government in connection with terror attacks, as the Afghan government had assured us that they would not allow anyone to use their land against Pakistan.

Zia Lango further said that terrorists are hatching plots with India against Pakistan, adding that India is directly involved in those attacks.

At least 13 terrorists and seven soldiers were killed in a fight between security forces and terrorists in Balochistan on Wednesday night.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces carried out a clearance operation to hunt down more terrorists hiding in the stated areas of Balochistan on Wednesday night after repulsing the attacks.

"In Naushki, the security forces shot down five more terrorists, bringing the tally to nine terrorists killed in the area, while four soldiers embraced martyrdom in the encounter," the ISPR said.

According to the ISPR, in Panjgur, three soldiers were martyred and four others were wounded.