ISLAMABAD: A high-level Afghan delegation is reaching here on Thursday to demand action against Taliban insurgents based in Pakistan.

The delegation, led by Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, includes Afghan intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil, National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar, and acting Defence Minister Masoom Stanekzai.

Presidential spokesman Sayed Zafar Hashimi told journalists in Kabul that the delegation would hold comprehensive talks with their Pakistani interlocutors in the aftermath of a series of attacks in Kabul and ask for ending the bases of elements involved in the attacks. “We would demand that Pakis­tan must move against groups holding gatherings inside Pakistan and declaring war against the people of Afghanistan,” he said.

Also read: Afghan intel claims Pakistan implicated in Kabul attacks

Pakistani military accused of being involved in attacks

The decision about sending the delegation was taken during President Ashraf Ghani’s conversations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif on Sunday night.

Later at a press conference, Mr Ghani had said that the Pakistan government would be asked to stop activities of those who had been waging rebellion against Afghanistan from its soil.

Mr Ghani had said that the suicide training camps and the bomb-making facilities, much like in the past, continued to operate in Pakistan.

Mr Sharif had promised Mr Ghani “an action plan against terrorism”, whose finer details and implementation would be discussed during the visit of the Afghan delegation.

Mr Ghani noted that the decisions the Pakistani government would take in the next few weeks would be very significant for relations for decades to come.

A statement by an NDS spokesman alleging involvement of Pakistan military in the attacks further vit­i­ated the atmosphere which was al­ready tense because of Mr Ghani’s allegations.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2015

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