- Afghanistan CEO Dr Abdullah Abdullah claims Pakistan does not cooperate in anti-terrorism activities, says Taliban kill people in Afghanistan and move freely in Pakistan
- Says Pakistan issues good statements but those who commit crimes against Afghans are financed and armed in Pakistan with no limitations on mobility
- Pakistan FO reiterates commitment to the Afghan cause, urges cooperative approach to combat terrorism
A day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani claimed the existence of organisers of terrorist attacks and terrorist centres in Pakistan, Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah has claimed that Pakistan does not cooperate in anti-terrorism campaign with Kabul.
“Despite our people’s scepticism over Pakistan, we took bold steps to improve relations. However, unfortunately, Pakistan did not cooperate in anti-terrorism activities in the past 10 months as we expected,” Dr Abdullah said at a council meeting of ministers on Tuesday.
“They (Pakistan) issued good statements, but those who commit crimes against our people are financed and armed there,” Abdullah’s office quoted him as saying. “They kept Mullah Omar’s death a secret for two years, and then openly held new leadership meetings in order to restore their identity under the leadership of a new criminal to gain legitimacy and continue their carnage.”
Despite the allegations, Pakistan has assured that it considered Afghanistan’s enemies its own and is extending full cooperation to the country in combating terrorism.
“Terrorism is our common enemy and requires cooperative approach to combat this menace,” Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said.
“We were told Afghanistan’s enemy is Pakistan’s enemy. What kind of enemy of Pakistan is this? They kill people here and move around freely there,” Dr Abdullah questioned in the statement.
Referring to the recent wave of attacks in Kabul and parts of Afghanistan, which killed nearly 70 people over the past few days, the Afghan leader said, “We know who is behind these atrocities; those who plan such attacks are outside the country. Those who take responsibility for these crimes are in Pakistan.”
He said that the Taliban emerged stronger over the past 10 months as “no action” was taken against them.
“No change has been detected in the military machinery of the Taliban over the last 10 months. In fact, they (Taliban) have become stronger because they don’t feel any pressure. They are armed and financed and resort to unfettered mobility,” the Afghan chief executive said.
“As terrorists take responsibility after broad daylight attacks on Afghan soil, no limitations have been imposed on their activities as they continue their shameless attacks,” Dr Abdullah said, calling for a review of peace talks with the Taliban following the attacks in Kabul.
Abdullah’s comments come a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani lambasted Pakistan over a recent wave of insurgent attacks in the capital Kabul that killed at least 56 people.
Since coming to power last year Ghani has courted Pakistan, expending substantial domestic political capital in the process, in hopes Islamabad will persuade the Taliban to come to the negotiating table.
But his comments on Monday are the strongest yet against Pakistan.
A statement by the Foreign Office released on Monday said: “We have taken note of the press conference by the President of Afghanistan held in Kabul today and its contents relating to Pakistan.
The statement said Pakistan was itself the biggest victim of terrorism, with human losses exceeding 60,000.
The FO statement said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Kabul in May said Pakistan considered enemies of Afghanistan as its own enemies, and has been extending complete cooperation to Afghanistan in combating terrorism.
Pakistan remains committed to supporting and facilitating an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, added the FO statement.
