ISI officer involved in Kabul parliament attack, claims Afghan intelligence

Published June 24, 2015
A vehicle is set on fire after a blast near the Afghan Parliament in Kabul.— Reuters/File
A vehicle is set on fire after a blast near the Afghan Parliament in Kabul.— Reuters/File

KABUL: Afghanistan's intelligence service says a Pakistani intelligence officer helped the Taliban carry out an attack on parliament earlier this week.

Afghan intelligence services spokesman Hassib Sediqqi said Wednesday that the officer in Inter-Services Intelligence helped the Haqqani network carry out the attack outside parliament in Kabul, which killed two people and wounded more than 30 as lawmakers were meeting inside.

Take a look: Brazen Taliban attack on Afghan parliament kills two.

Sediqqi said the suicide car bomb used in Monday's attack was manufactured in Peshawar, adding that Afghan authorities were made aware of the attack on June 10 and had deployed extra security.

Afghan-Pakistani relations had improved in recent months following years of mistrust, during which each country accused the other of supporting militants operating along their porous border.

Almost a month ago, ISI and the Aghan intelligence agency— National Directorate of Security (NDS)— signed a landmark deal aimed at bolstering the fight against terrorism.

Know more: ISI, Afghan intelligence in landmark deal.

Under the agreement, the two intelligence agencies would cooperate in counter-terrorism operations. An essential element of the accord was a provision for joint probe of terrorism suspects. The ISI would also equip the NDS and train its personnel.

At that time, a Pakistan government official had said that the signing of the agreement represented the new-found trust between Islamabad and Kabul, particularly between their security and intelligence establishments.

When contacted, Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah rejected the allegation on ISI, saying that this was not the first time such claims had been made by Afghanistan's intelligence personnel.

The FO spokesman said Pakistan's policy vis-a-vis Afghanistan was clear, adding that the two brotherly countries shared a common enemy, a sentiment which has been earlier expressed by PM Nawaz Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif.

Pakistan had vehemently condemned Monday's attack on the Afghan legislature, he said, and will continue to support its neighbour in the war against terror.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...
Saudi FM’s visit
Updated 17 Apr, 2024

Saudi FM’s visit

The government of Shehbaz Sharif will have to manage a delicate balancing act with Pakistan’s traditional Saudi allies and its Iranian neighbours.
Dharna inquiry
17 Apr, 2024

Dharna inquiry

THE Supreme Court-sanctioned inquiry into the infamous Faizabad dharna of 2017 has turned out to be a damp squib. A...
Future energy
17 Apr, 2024

Future energy

PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif’s recent directive to the energy sector to curtail Pakistan’s staggering $27bn oil...