Jamaat-ul-Ahrar may have made the announcement at the behest of Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the 4th emir of the Pakistani Taliban.

Source: https://themedialine.org/top-stories/pakistani-taliban-splinter-group-claims-responsibility-for-mosque-bombing-as-death-toll-hits-100/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pakistani-taliban-splinter-group-claims-responsibility-for-mosque-bombing-as-

The highway connects Pakistan with China and also passes through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which has been a hotbed of terrorism in the past due to the presence of the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups.

Source: https://krdo.com/news/2023/12/02/militants-open-fire-at-a-bus-in-northern-pakistan-killing-9-people-including-2-soldiers/

The latest claim by the Pakistani Taliban underlined the threat of Afghanistan turning into a haven for militants, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said.

Source: https://thediplomat.com/2023/01/where-does-south-asia-fit-now-in-us-security-and-defense-strategies/

The road connects Pakistan with China and also passes through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been a hotbed of terrorism in the past due to the presence of Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups in the area.

Source: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/pakistan-bus-attack-nine-killed-20-injured-baltistan-region-b1124436.html

The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has emboldened the Pakistani Taliban, who have stepped up attacks since November, when they ended a cease-fire with the government.

Source: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/world-news/2023/02/pakistani-troops-kill-2-militants-in-raid-near-afghan-border/