Pakistan strongly condemns Jalalabad blasts

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the multiple terrorist attacks in Jalalabad, on the centennial Independence Day of Afghanistan, ARY News reported.

According to a statement released by Foreign Office, these cowardly attacks manifest the desperation of terrorist outfits and spoilers as hopes for peace, stability and national unity in Afghanistan have grown stronger by the day.

Pakistan remains a steadfast partner of Afghanistan, in the joint efforts to defeat all designs aimed at perpetuating instability in the region, reads the press release.

“We continue to firmly stand together with the Afghan nation in these testing times. We also pray for the early recovery of dozens of people reportedly injured in today’s attacks,” the statement added.

A series of bombings struck restaurants and public squares on Monday in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, wounding at least 34 people, officials said, as the country marked the 100th anniversary of its independence.

The Jalalabad bombs were planted near a market where hundreds of people had congregated after attending Independence Day events. Senior health official Fahim Bashari said at least 34 people were wounded.

Independence Day ceremonies in Kabul were curtailed out of respect for those who died in the Saturday night bomb, the government said.