NDS Chief Says Pakistan Admitted Kabul Attacks Being Planned in Its Soil

Afghanistan’s Intelligence Chief, Mohammad Massoom Stanekzai says in the past Pakistan used to deny, but this time they admitted to some extend that the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul were being planned in its soil.

Addressing a joint press conference with Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak in Kabul on Thursday, Stanekzai said they have shared accurate information over the recent attacks with Pakistan which were being gathered through investigations and it show where the militants were being trained and where the attacks were being planned.

The NDS Chief’s remarks come after the two top security officials visited Pakistan on Wednesday and met with the country’s high-ranking intelligence and military leaders to discuss the recent attacks on Afghanistan.

“We have shared the detailed evidence and information on the people who were being involved in these [attacks], they [Pakistan] have been asked to arrest these people and hand them over to Afghanistan,” Stanekzai said.

He warned that if Pakistan does not take action, they will use other options including taking action at international level.

Interior Minister Barmak, meanwhile said that a high-level Pakistani delegation would be visiting Kabul on Saturday in follow up visit to give feedback.

However, Pakistan Embassy in Kabul in a statement said that Pakistan delegation’s visit is not a follow up of the Afghan delegation’s trip to Islamabad.  

“Pakistan has not given any commitment to give reply to the information received from the NDS Chief Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, during his trip to Islamabad, yesterday,” the statement said.  

“The Pakistan delegation visiting Kabul on Saturday 3rd February 2018 is a consequence of the ongoing negotiations on the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity (APAPS) since November last year. A press release to this effect was issued by the Embassy on 31st January 2018,” the statement added.  

By Shakib Mahmud and Ali Asghari