–FO spokesman says Kabul’s allegations that attack was planned on Pakistani soil are ‘baseless’, ‘unfounded’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday rejected Kabul’s “baseless” and “unfounded allegations” regarding the attack in which an Afghan security guard opened fire and killed three top Afghan officials, including Kandahar police chief Abdul Raziq during a high-level security meeting inside a fortified government compound in Kandahar city.
The statement was made by the Foreign Office (FO) a day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani alleged that the attack on the slain Kandahar police commander was planned on Pakistani soil.
“I want to say that this conspiracy was plotted in Pakistan. So, Pakistan should give us the criminals so that we can bring them to justice,” Ghani had claimed, according to Tolo News.
“Pakistan rejects baseless and unfounded allegations regarding the latest Kandahar attacks. No hard evidence or intelligence-related information has been shared to date with Pakistan to substantiate such claims,” says the statement released by the FO which has refrained from commenting on the specifics of the allegation.
Furthermore, the FO also pointed out that “it would have been more appropriate to invoke the relevant arrangement” under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS) “to mutually and effectively address and investigate any such unfortunate incidents… instead of resorting to media blame game which is contrary to the seven principles of cooperation agreed between the two sides earlier this year.”
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi has not only claimed responsibility for the October 18 attack but also told The Associated Press (AP) that they had intended to kill top commander for United States (US) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces, General Scott Miller, who managed to escape unharmed from the meeting where the firing took place.
The Pakistan government had condemned the attack just days before the Afghan election soon after the violence took place.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan conveyed condolences to President Ghani, the families of the victims and the people of Afghanistan saying that “the peace and security of Pakistan are inextricably linked to the peace and security in Afghanistan”.
Whereas, military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor had condemned the act in a tweet on behalf of Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa, expressing a desire to see security forces put an end to “this prolonged violence in Afghanistan” and giving the assurance of all-out support in all initiatives regarding this matter.
