The Afghan President slammed Pakistan on Fridau, blaming it for a wave of massive deadly attacks that have ravaged his nation recently and accusing Islamabad of harbouring the Taliban.
In a televised speech to the nation, Ashraf Ghani insisted the “centre of Taliban terrorism is in Pakistan” and demanded that authorities in the neighbouring country “show some concrete action to rid their territory of insurgents.”
Ghani, flanked by Afghanistan’s top Islamic clerics, also urged those among the Taliban who wanted to talk peace with the Government to separate themselves from those who want only to fight.
On Wednesday, Afghan officials visited Pakistan with what they describe as evidence of Taliban attacks emanating from terrorist training centres in Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Intelligence Chief Masoom Stanikzai and Interior Minister Wais Ahmed Barmak presented documentation and confessions from arrested insurgents claiming to have been trained in Islamic seminaries in Pakistan.
“The Afghan nation is waiting for clear action” from Pakistan, said Ghani, adding that so far Afghanistan got only promises of cooperation from Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua along with senior military and security officials will travel to Kabul tomorrow with Islamabad’s response, after reviewing the Afghan documents.
Kabul and Islamabad have repeatedly traded accusations that the other is harbouring enemy insurgents.
The United States has also criticised Pakistan for providing sanctuaries for the Taliban, who are fighting US troops in Afghanistan.