KABUL: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday expressed heartfelt condolences to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the assassination of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani, Chairman of High Peace Council and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to an Afghan-led peace process.
Gilani, who arrived in the Afghan capital on a brief visit and said “Pakistan condemns in strongest terms the terrorist attack that led to the Shahadat of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani.”
He offered fateha for the departed soul of Professor Rabbani, praying for his eternal peace, at the Presidential Palace. He termed the death of Prof Rabbani as a huge loss not only for Afghanistan but for the whole region.
He said the people of Pakistan would continue to stand by their Afghan brothers in this moment of grief.
Prime Minister Gilani said Prof Rabbani being a visionary leader was convinced that violence was not an answer to the problems of Afghanistan, rather he believed in a political solution.
He said, “We will always remember Professor Rabbani as a great friend of Pakistan and an emissary of peace,” adding that this cowardly act had reinforced the resolve of the people of Afghanistan to pursue peace and stability.
“I have no doubt that Prof. Rabbani’s dream for peace will come true and we will see a peaceful Afghanistan on its way to progress and prosperity,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that acts of terrorism constitute a common threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan."We are together in our joint struggle to combat and eliminate this menace,” he added.
Gilani also condoled with the four sons of Prof Rabbani - Salahuddin Rabbani, Jalaluddin Rabbani, Muhammad Yusuf Rabbani and Shujauddin Rabbani -present in the meeting and expressed grief over the tragic death of their father.
President Karzai thanked Prime Minister Gilani for his condolences and for sharing the grief of Afghan people.
The Prime Minister’s delegation comprised Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Engr. Shaukatullah, Senator Nawab Haji Lashkari Raeesani, Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Kausar, Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.
It may be mentioned here that Prime Minister Gilani during his previous visit to Afghanistan on April 16 this year met Prof Rabbani and assured Pakistan’s full support and solidarity for an Afghan-led peace and reconciliatory process.
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Where is the condolence for the murdered pilgrims of Mastung. Mr PM your first duty should have been offering Fateha for the victims of the sectarian violence at the site of the murder and offering compensation to the dependents of the murdered people not to some foreigner