- Prime Minister Imran Khan, COAS Bajwa condemn Taliban attack, vow support to Afghan govt
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned the rocket strikes in Kabul, as heavy fighting broke out between security forces and Taliban militants in the city.
The attacks near the presidential palace and a mosque, came as President Ashraf Ghani was making a speech marking the first day of the Eidul Azha, days after offering the Taliban a conditional three-month ceasefire.
The Pakistan Foreign Office in an official tweet condemned the attack and urged all parties to respond to Afghan government’s offer for a ceasefire.
“Pakistan condemns rocket attacks on Kabul close to the presidential palace during Eid prayers and urges all parties to respond to the Afghan Government’s ceasefire offer,” Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal tweeted.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also issued a strong condemnation of the attack. In a statement, he said, “The cowardly strikes carried out on the occasion of a religious festival reflected the defeatist mindset [of the terrorists].”
“We are with the Afghan government and people in order to completely defeat this cowardly mindset,” he added.
ARMY CHIEF CONDEMNS ATTACK:
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed deep concern on the recent rocket strikes in Afghanistan earlier on Tuesday morning and over the loss of precious innocent lives.
“There is no support to any terrorist activity inside Afghanistan from Pakistan side,” he said, adding that “the alleged return of injured and dead terrorists from Ghazni is incorrect.”
Moreover, “different factions of TTP, hiding in many sanctuaries inside Afghanistan under Afghan identities are transported into Pakistan for medical help”.
COAS also stated that he stands by his commitment to the Afghan President for ensuring all measures which could facilitate peace in Afghanistan.
However, Gen Bajwa emphasised that Afghanistan needs to look inward as the problem resides inside Afghanistan.
“Thus, the solution thus remains on making substantive progress on Afghan reconciliation efforts as well as on the speedy implementation of Afghanistan Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS),” he said.
Furthermore, Pakistan will continue to support all initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan as there cannot be enduring peace in Pakistan and stability in the region if there is no peace in Afghanistan.