Pakistan offers joint investigation into recent terror attacks in Kabul

KABUL: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Saturday offered Afghan authorities a joint investigation into recent string of terror attacks in Kabul. 

She made this offer to Afghan officials at Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity (APAPS) meeting here. 

Janjua said Pakistan and Afghanistan should stop blame game and engaged in concrete cooperation instead. She condemned the terrorists’ attacks in Kabul.

Afghan government was urged to take action against terrorists carrying out cross-border attacks in Pakistan, besides measures to strengthen the border management on its side.

A top-level delegation of Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, earlier today arrived in Kabul to attend the meeting. 

Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal on Friday said that Pakistan proposed five joint working groups, which focus on ensuring comprehensive engagement for countering terrorism, intelligence sharing, military, economy, trade and transit interaction, refugee repatriation and connectivity. 

Dr Faisal asserted that Pakistan had always maintained that there was no military path to peace and stability in Afghanistan and only an Afghan led and Afghan owned peace process will ensure peace there.

“It is time for international community to remember the plight of millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, who have been displaced from their homes due to decades of violence. They must return to their homes honorably. More violence in Afghanistan will only delay their dream of uniting with their loved ones,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said it was up to Afghanistan to reach settlement among different Afghan groups and Pakistan would continue to support such efforts.

To a question about Pak-US relations, the spokesperson said Pakistan wished for strong relations with the US, based on mutual respect and friendship.

He said Pakistan looked forward to mutually beneficial partnership with all countries and its foreign policy reflected the aspirations of its people and served its national interests.

The spokesman said Pakistan had taken indiscriminate action against all terrorist groups with the commitment to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“It is unfair to blame Pakistan for security lapses in Afghanistan as the vast swathes of ungoverned territories in Afghanistan are being used by terror groups as sanctuaries,” he said.