ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: Rejecting an allegation levelled by the Afghan interior minister about ISI’s involvement in the assassination of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani, Pakistan indicated on Sunday that Afghan security agencies might be involved in this and other such killings.

A statement issued by Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua termed the Afghan minister’s allegations ‘baseless’.

It said Prof Rabbani, who was chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council, was a great friend of Pakistan who was widely respected in this country. He had lived here for a long time and had many friends.

Ms Janjua said the so-called evidence given to the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul is actually a confessional statement of an Afghan national, Hamidullah Akundzadeh, who had been accused of master-minding the assassination.

“The concerned authority will work upon this piece of information,” she said.

The Foreign Office expressed serious concern that all Afghans who favoured peace and friendly relations with Pakistan were being systematically killed and removed from the scene.

“There is a need to take stock of the direction taken by Afghan intelligence and security agencies,” the spokesperson said, adding that the Afghan interior minister had not mentioned that the assassin had stayed for four days in the guesthouse of the High Peace Council managed by Afghans close to Prof Rabbani.

“The assassin was also apparently not body searched before the meeting. These facts are also part of the confession handed over to the embassy by the Afghan intelligence.”

The spokesperson said Afghan Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi had not highlighted the fact that the assassin and his handler had been roaming around in Kandahar and Kabul for quite some time.

The foreign ministry deplored the statement by Mr Mohammadi and said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani himself had offered to cooperate in the investigation during his visit to Kabul for offering condolences to Prof Rabbani’s family and the Afghan people and government.

“Pakistan has unequivocally condemned the act of terrorism that led to the shahadat of Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani. Pakistan reiterates its commitment to peace and stability as well as to mutual respect.”