With several Afghan officials claiming that former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani’s assassination was plotted across the Afghan border, a delegation of Afghan investigators is all geared up to visit Pakistan to conduct an inquiry into the incident, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Rabbani, who was leading the Afghan High Peach Council, was killed by a turban bomber who was supposedly a peace emissary sent by the Taliban leadership. His murder has seemingly destroyed all efforts made by the Afghanistan-Pakistan joint commission for peace and reconciliation.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai appointed a team on Sunday to investigate Rabbani’s murder which has had a major impact on the war-torn country’s reconciliation process.
Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak is heading the inquiry panel – however, the Afghan diplomatic sources did not reveal who will be leading the delegation which is expected to arrive in Islamabad within a couple of days.
Sources say Rabbani’s killing may also disrupt next month’s meeting of the joint peace commission in Kabul.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was scheduled to travel to Kabul for the meeting to join President Karzai, but the “hostile” environment may delay the meeting, a source said. There is no official word on the fate of the meeting, either from Islamabad or Kabul.
Afghan opposition leader Dr Abdullah Abdullah had called for suspending all contacts and negotiations with the Taliban, and Afghan governor of Balkh province Atta Muhammad has warned that if the government continues its dialogue policy with the Taliban, they will arm the former Mujahideen.
Karzai urged to seek UN’s help in murder investigation
Karzai’s government is under mounting pressure from Rabbani’s Jamiat-e-Islami party to involve the UN in the investigation into the high profile-murder, saying they are dissatisfied with the capability of Afghan intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies to probe the incident.
The decision to send a delegation to Pakistan was taken during a recent meeting of former senior Jihadi leaders and senior aides of President Karzai in Kabul. Karzai had called the meeting to discuss the future peace process and matters relating to Rabbani’s murder. The meeting also discussed the appointment of a new leader for the Afghan High Peace Council.
(Read: Afghanistan after Rabbani)
Afghan officials say they have attached high hopes to the delegation’s visit to Islamabad to share information with Pakistan and seek help from Pakistani security officials. They said the investigation and information of Afghanistan’s national security body, so far, shows that the trail leads to Quetta and several individuals.
There were heated debates on Afghan TV channels after Rabbani’s murder, with analysts pointing fingers at the Afghan government, the US, ethnic rivalry and also Pakistan.
Several analysts claimed it to be the work of the Quetta Shura of the Afghan Taliban, the name used by Western media for the top leadership of the Afghan Taliban who are said to be hiding in Quetta. Pakistani officials, however, insist that the Quetta Shura does not exist.
Afghan investigators will mainly be depending on help from Pakistani authorities, and “if they are not satisfied, the Afghan government may have to approach the UN for conducting an investigation”, sources said.
‘Afghanistan should talk to Pakistan, not the Taliban’
The Afghan National Security Adviser and former foreign minister Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta said that the Afghan government should hold talks with Pakistan instead of the Taliban for a solution to the Afghan problem.
Pakistan has already insisted that it will back the Afghan peace process but will not directly sit at the table during the Afghan talks.
Spanta told reporters in Kabul on Thursday that the Taliban have no power to make decisions and are simply depending on others.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.
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@Diggvijay Singh, I am glad to see that Pakistan has risen to claim its rightful stature in the comity of nations by virtue of its immense geopolitical importance We Pakistanis already know our great leadership and prominence in the world affairs. I think the world is realizing the fact. The next world-super power china already knows it and i think we will be the rightful leader and the guiding light of the muslim ummah! We have lost more than 30,000 lives in war to rid the world from the menace of terrorism. We lost more lives in the WOT that the talebans and Al-Qaeda combined!
Looks like everyone has made Pakistan its punching bag.Anything goes wrong in your own country or the country you occupy, blame it on Pakistan. America is loosing war in Afghanistan, blames Pakistan for that.Even if a donkey dies in India, Pakistan / ISI did that and now Karzai, who has NO WRIT in Kabul and Rabbani is assassinated, blames Pakistan!!!! Come on guys GROW UP!!!
Pakistan has truly become a failed state. Now, even Afghan Investigators come to Pakistan for investigation. I though it was only Scotland Yard.
Before committing any attack in Afghanistan all terrorists always give their contact details to US and Afghan authorities... that is why right after the attack both authorities just point their finger towards Pakistan without an investigation.
DiggvijaySingh: I didnt notice the spelling on your name before. Now that I have noticed, your posts do make sense ("Digg"). Asking for a permanent security seat for Pak takes the icing on the cake.
Again we are suspects !!!!!!!! Surely this is the work/result of infighting between different factions who are being supported by all stake holders of different countries. Quetta Shura is once again in news ....
Afghans seem to be eternal optimists to believe they will be able to tie up the loose ends in the Rabbani murder case by visiting Pakistan. Good Luck to them.
India Agni-2 trial was sucess on friday.range of this missile is 2000 km. ET should post this news.
" Afghan Investigators ", What a joke. LOL
wondering where is the story in it?
Afghans have a spy agency as well :o, they were unable to stop a turban bomber and they are planning to trace the links of that bomber! I mean wow, that truly is height of ambition!
Having "Quetta" in the name does not change the fact that the Quetta Shura is still made up of Afghan nationals. These are Afghans plotting against Afghans. My only message to these so called Afghan "analysts": Change your society first before blaming other countries.
I am glad to see that Pakistan has risen to claim its rightful stature in the comity of nations by virtue of its immense geopolitical importance. We can already see that all the major decisions of the world are made from Pakistan. Finally, this realization has dawned upon Afghan President Karzai too. On the back of these great achievements and for the eternal vigil Pakistan's security forces keep to guard the lives and properties of seven billion people of the world, I hope Pakistan is conferred a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.