Afghan attackers 'live, recruit and operate' in Pakistan, Ghani tells army chief

Ashraf Ghani's statement comes during telephonic conversation with Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa

ISLAMABAD: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has told Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa that those who recently launched attacks in Afghanistan “lived, were recruited and operated freely in Pakistan and no action was taken against them,” a Presidential Palace statement said on Monday.

Ghani's allegations came during a phone call with the Pakistani army chief. General Qamar Bajwa telephoned the Afghan president on Sunday evening to condemn recent attacks in the country. The military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said General Bajwa also offered intelligence cooperation and border management to stop illegal cross-border movement.

The offer came following attacks in Kabul, Kandahar and Helmand which killed nearly 60 people, including five UAE diplomats. Taliban claimed attacks in Kabul and Helmand and denied involvement in the Kandahar attack, which they blamed on the internal power struggle between officials in Kandahar.



"In his telephonic talk, President Ghani vowed to take revenge from the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks and said his country is ready to ensure security of his country," a statement from Ghani’s office said.

“He again described terrorism and extremism as a serious threat for the region and the world and said that lack of determination to fight against the common threat could pose dangers to Pakistan itself and the region,” the statement posted on the Afghan president’s website added.

President Ghani said he wants “serious talks” to discuss Kabul’s future relationship with Pakistan.