Pakistan officials claimed that the suicide attacker who blew up an explosive-laden vehicle inside Quetta’s Serena Hotel was an Afghan citizen, media reported. The Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for last week’s attack. 

“According to our information, two terrorists ( Afghans) crossed the Afghan border and one of them carried out the hotel attack. We are making all-out efforts to find the second terrorist,” a counter-terrorism official was quoted as saying by Dawn. One of them might still be living around Quetta, he added. 

The attack killed four people and wounded around a dozen. 

If it is indeed true that the TTP recruited Afghans for executing an attack inside Pakistan, it should sound the alarm within the country's intelligence circles. 

The situation in Afghanistan is unlikely to stabilize any time soon. As foreign troops set to withdraw, the waning grip of the Afghan forces in the country's security situation would allow more room to cross border terror groups. The TTP is already known to have sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, especially in Paktika and Paktia provinces. 

 The TTP, which has stepped up its activities in the region, was also planning to kidnap business personalities in Pakistan. Last week, on Saturday, Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Division issued an alert regarding the threat. 

The alert issued by them had also mentioned that the group had already abducted six persons for ransom.  

The United Nations Security Council had also issued a statement, condemning the attack and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the UNSC said in the statement. The members also underlined “the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.”