Pakistan

Pakistan to go 'soft' on Afghanistan over PAF attack

Source says it is not in govt's interest to suspend relations with Kabul over TTP members hiding across the border

Abdul Manan September 21, 2015

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chairs a high level security meeting at the PM House in Islamabad on September 21, 2015. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday decided against lodging a strong protest with Afghanistan over the Badhaber attack, sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune.

“Due to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s weak writ, Pakistan’s protest with Afghanistan on Badhaber attack will be more harmful than beneficial,” said a source who attended a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.

"Pakistan will only share evidences with the Afghan government and will actively pursue the case instead of lodging a protest,” the source added.

The high-level meeting was held to review the overall security situation in the country, with particular reference to the terrorist attack on Pakistan Air Force (PAF) camp in Badhaber which killed 29 people.

Read: Airbase camp attack: Aziz says all evidence to be shared with Kabul

"Ghani's regime is very weak and it is not in Pakistan's interest to suspend its relations with Afghanistan over members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hiding in Afghanistan," the source further said.

The meeting comes after security agencies began gathering evidence on the terrorist attack at PAF’s Badhaber residential complex on September 18.

Pakistan maintains that the attackers of Badhaber had come from Afghanistan and the attack was planned and coordinated from the neighboring country.

National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz said on Sunday Islamabad will share the evidence with Afghan authorities. Aziz’s comments came a day after Kabul denied that the attack, which left 30 air force and army officials dead on Friday, was launched from Afghan soil.

Maj Gen Asim Bajwa, director general of Pakistani military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), had said on Friday that the attack was planned in and controlled from Afghanistan.

Taliban leader Omar Mansoor had used his Afghan number to speak to the media in Pakistan to claim responsibility for the attack. He also appeared in a video along with a group of gunmen who, he said, were sent to launch the attack.

According to a PM House statement, the meeting is reviewing the overall security situation of the country, border management strategy with Afghanistan and the implementation of the National Action Plan.

Read: PAF base attack planned in Afghanistan: DG ISPR

Army chief General Raheel Sharif, DG ISPR Asim Bajwa, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar are among ministers and officials attending the meeting.

Meanwhile, the premier is scheduled to depart for the US on September 22 to attend the UN annual General Assembly session. During his visit, the premier is expected to highlight Indian's alleged involvement in promoting terrorism in Pakistan as well as the Kashmir issue.

The meeting also discussed border management strategy and implementation of National Action Plan on terrorism.

COMMENTS (19)

Allaisa | 8 years ago | Reply @US CENTCOM: Ha, ha, ha. You do have a sense of humor, that I must admit. Think about it man, if we did not go into Afghanistan because the Soviets went in (the infamous 'Charlie Wilson's War'), this whole mess would not have happened. Afghans were fully capable of decimating the Soviets with no help from us but we have to stick our nose in its affairs. We created the Taliban, we created the Al Quaida, we created the monsters that are attacking the world and we do not have any solutions for it except conducting more bombings in Syria, Iraq and wherever.

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply That US cent com comedy is good.

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abc | 8 years ago | Reply No doubt RAW & NDS involved in this attack, India happy to see this but you don't know the reaction Pakistan Army capable to destroy RAW & NDS Pakistan Army Zindabad

Babbarsher Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Inept government is letting different signals go out on the same issue, one for domestic consumption and another for external consumption. What is the harm of showing the proof to the whole world if the conspiracy of the carnage was hatched in Afghanistan? Everybody knows that Afghan governments is very weak and it has very little or no presence in outlying areas. But what about us? We could be little better but not significantly different. Actually on certain areas we are way behind Afghans. Whatever said and done civilian supremacy reigns (with all its shortcomings) there while in Pakistan we have one section of government is bigger and powerful than rest of it all put together! General sahib has the right to spare someone's life or refuse clemency, while civilian chieftain attends funeral of a son of a Sheikh of a tiny gulf principality!

Seadorff | 8 years ago | Reply @ajit doval: Very childish , kindergarten stuff !!!!

ajit doval | 8 years ago | Reply @Raju, ur so concern abt innocent life, and certainly abt mumbai incident, and wat abt 2000people that we killed under the auspicious leadership of Mr.MODI.in gujrat, i am sure they were not innocent lives, and so far afghanistan is concerned , i told u abt my speech in newdelhi that these taliban r merceneries , and now we will use them by giving them more money.so they r now doing excellent job under my command

hamza khan | 8 years ago | Reply @Raju Indian: errrr good one. mind your own business. your proxies inside afghanistan have all run away and afghanistan will be free of indian influence very shortly. remember that.

US CENTCOM | 8 years ago | Reply We commend the efforts of Pakistani security forces in countering terrorism, and take our hat off to all those who lost their lives in fighting terrorism. The recent attack on the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) camp again shows that the terrorists remain focused on destabilizing the region. We’ve always emphasized the importance of shared cooperation between the regional partners. The terrorists would love to see our nations remain entangled in differences, and find the path cleared for their terrorist activities. It is in simply in the best interests of our nations to work together to negate the common threat of terrorism. We repeat what the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson said: “The United States stands with Pakistan in its struggle against terrorism and violent extremism. Few countries are as affected as Pakistan by the cruel violence perpetrated by terrorists.” Ambassador Olson further said: "The US strongly condemns this senseless and inhumane act that took numerous lives including 15 people inside a mosque while they were praying." Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM

Nero | 8 years ago | Reply The dirty little secret that no one will talk about: TTP is sitting pretty in areas controlled by Afghan Taliban. Pakistan exerts leverage on Afghan government through Taliban, Taliban exerts leverage on Pakistan government through TTP.

Ashraf | 8 years ago | Reply Another u-turn because these charges are baseless and without any proof. The terrorists are homegrown, out of control, strategic assets.

Atif | 8 years ago | Reply btw just to clarify there should be a proper investigation. If criminals indeed crossed border into Pakistan to carry out attacks they should not be spared. Afghan government should be forced to hand them over.

Raju Indian | 8 years ago | Reply @Sheraz - thanks for acknowledging the point - at least someone intelligent enough to get it. I too like an ordinary human feel the pain of death of innocent people, but have problems with politicians valuing their own blood more than those of others. Other than humanity, I hold no brief for Afghanistan

z | 8 years ago | Reply @Raju, you have confirmed that Indians are fully involved in cross border terrorism in Pakistan. You've got nothing to do with Afghanistan foreign affair, but the way you poked into the discussion you have proved it yourself that what Indians intentions are. You cannot hide your cunningness anyway.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply It is nice to see Pakistan adopting a realistic and sensible approach in our relations with Afghanistan. It is just as well that the former plan of lodging a strong protest with Afghan government has been dropped, and it has been decided to share with Afghan authorities the available evidence which proves that the attack on air base in Badhaber was planned, executed and controlled from Afghanistan, but without making a big issue out of it. The change has been caused by a desire on our part not to embarrass the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who could be just about the only senior person in Afghan administration who favours Pakistan and who had started his term on a positive note, and initially it looked as if the bitterness between the two neighbours has become a thing of the past. However, as long as the factors that cause friction between the to countries remain there, there would be problems but it would help if, like Pakistan has done, Afghan authorities also shared their grievances with us in a conciliatory manner, without attempting to create an impression that Pakistani establishment was behind the attacks in Afghanistan. We should also remember that the problem can not be solved merely by issuing conciliatory statements and resolves, but by taking concrete measures which could convince our Afghan brothers of our sincerity, while admitting in the meantime that since not every inch of the Pakistani territory is under full control of the armed forces at all times, there could be situations where some attacks in Afghanistan originated from our side, in the same way that some attacks on Pakistani soil may have been planned, executed and controlled from Afghan side, without the knowledge and involvement of the Afghan government which also is not in full control all Afghan territory. Therefore, instead of indulging in a war of accusations and counter-accusations, which will only make matters worse, civilian and military leaders of both countries should continue the policy of restraint and cooperate with each other in order to solve this problem. And Pakistan being the bigger one of the two brothers has greater responsibility placed on its shoulders in this regard. Karachi

Sheraz | 8 years ago | Reply @Raju Indian..Looks like India has taken the responsibility of Afghanistan Foreign Services..Let them speak for themselves..who are you MR?? Who on earth are you to ask questions regarding Afghanistan??

A-No.1 | 8 years ago | Reply Nawaz trying to rubbish army's claim of Afghan involvement.

Haider | 8 years ago | Reply In order to sabotage India's plans.Strong relationship with Afghanistan is a necessity

Raju Indian | 8 years ago | Reply Mr Nawaz Sharief - please provide evidence that is admissible in our courts of Afghanistan. We have no cross-border infiltration into your country and have no training camps here. Even if there is someone from our country, they are all Non-State-Actors - hence not our responsibility. Afghanistan is the biggest victim of terrorism and is fighting hard to remove them - so please be thankful to us instead of blaming us.....Errrr...does this sound familiar to you Mr Sharief?

Girish | 8 years ago | Reply All stance and no substance. These people are only hesitating to say that the evidence they found was against themselves. After all its their own 'assets' who are angry at them. And by the way how good is Nawaz Sharif's or for that matter Pakistan's 'writ' on FATA?

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