ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has summoned the Afghan chargé d’affaires to lodge a strong protest over the recent terrorist attack on a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi, the Foreign Office said on Monday.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the Afghan diplomat was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a strong demarche was issued regarding the Karachi terrorist attack.

He said Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, also conveyed a similar demarche to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

According to the spokesperson, the diplomatic protest was based on evidence indicating the involvement of Afghan nationals in the attack, including one suspect who was apprehended alive during the security operation.

“The demarches were issued in light of the fact that Afghan nationals, including one apprehended alive, participated in this attack, proving yet again that Afghan soil and Afghan nationals continue to be used to orchestrate terrorist attacks inside Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.

Pakistan reiterated its longstanding position that terrorist groups continue to exploit Afghan territory to carry out attacks inside Pakistan and called on the Afghan authorities to take effective action against those responsible.

The diplomatic move follows the recent attack on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi, in which security forces repelled the assault after an intense exchange of fire. Authorities have since launched investigations and continued counterterrorism operations in response to the incident.