Rabbani's assassination in September by a turban bomber who purported to be a peace envoy for the Taliban derailed efforts to talk peace with the militants and postponed any hopes of a political settlement ending 10 years of war.
Afghan officials lashed out at Islamabad over the killing, saying it was planned in Pakistan and carried out by a Pakistani suicide bomber.
But Khar told the upper house of parliament late Tuesday that Afghan refugees living in Pakistan were responsible.
"We are not responsible if Afghan refugees crossed the border and entered Kabul, stayed in a guest house and attacked Professor Rabbani," officials quoted Khar as telling the Senate.
Pakistan is under huge international pressure to take action against militants based in Pakistan but who carry out attacks in Afghanistan.
A senior Pakistani official told AFP that the presence of Afghan refugees was "an important issue for Pakistan" and "a problem for Afghanistan".
"We don't want to forcibly expel them. We are trying to resolve this issue in a negotiated manner because more than 90 percent of terrorist attacks in Pakistan trace back to Afghan refugees."
Last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari agreed to cooperate with an investigation into Rabbani's murder in a bid to overcome tensions and recriminations.
Millions of Afghans who fled decades of war returned home after Karzai took power, but around 1.7 million still live in Pakistan.
COMMENTS (27)
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@Mysterious: According to UNHCR, 1.7 million Afghans living in Pakistan are those who were born inside Pakistan in the last 30 years. You Pakis don't respect your own people. Despite them being Afghans they were born on the same soil that you Pakis were born on. Since 2002 to 2007 all the Afghan refugees left Pakistan and are right now making good income in Afghanistan and building mansions. Terrorist attacks began happening inside Pakistan after 2007 when the Afghan refugees had left.
Afghan refugees live in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that is native territory of Afghanistan. Pakistan officially starts East of Indus River. Also, if Afghan refugees were behind attacks in Pakistan why didn't Pakistan's government blame them before when attacks were happening inside Pakistan? I live in Lawhore and I haven't heard of any terrorist attacks in Pakistan. We need to give all the territory West of Indus River back to Afghanistan, it's rightfully theirs and Allah is on their side. Ask yourself why we Pakistanis are going backward and the Afghans and Indians are going forward? We Pakistanis are the problem and we need to fix our selves before were are destroyed. Pakistan Zindabad
@Mysterious: @Bilal: @Salman: @Munna: @Amjad: @Anu: Please read the title carefully.. Ms Khar blamed Afghan "refugees" and not Taliban or Al-Qaida. Do you even think for a second that these poor refugees who lost everything in their country due to wars - waged in the name of "religion" - are responsible for the present situation and problems of Pakistan?? Who on earth created/trained/funded Taliban during the Soviet war?? We are reaping today what our beloved ISI and Army sowed long ago. Stop this nonsense of always blaming others for our wrong doings.
Well this is a true fact of life for people who live in PK, somehow almost all attacks in PK go back to the Afghan refugees unfortunately and the reason behind this is that the international powers like US, India, Israel can easily win their hearts and hence these brutal deaths in PK....
We can resolve our 99% problems if these Afghans go back to their country. No suicide attacks and no more terrorism in & from Pakistan... and seal the border for ever to ensure we never these problems again.... "Pakistan will be no more at terrorist State" due to these Afghans... Our problems started with their arrival and will finish with their complete Exit.
I am amused at the comments. Its ok for Karzai to blame Pakistan without evidence, but when we respond and say its not us,...'why not blame usa, nato, Kfc, burgers, etc etc'.
Grow up people.
@Salam: Now you have another neighbour apart from India to deport the Afghans, Iran has signed a MOU, agreement would help promote peace, stability and security in Afghanistan as well as in the entire region.
North, East and West.
while you are at it...why not blame ..usa, nato, raw,...aliens...kfc,burgerking,.....mcdonalds...
very true, she is 200% right.
It is shameful and unbelievable for a govt. official to make such a ludicrous statement and expect the whole matter is closed. It is such statements that has convinced the world that they need to step in and do some serious clean up within your sovereign borders.
I guess she wasn't listening when her Ambassadors got together and recommended that Pakistan quick acting emotionally and start acting strategically.
...and that conclusion was reached in what way? You can't really leave that out. Hina is the ringleader of both the militant kidnapping network and baby selling. It must be true because I said it. No need for the details. They'll just get in the way.
Funny how those crying for Rabbani the "peace maker" forget that he was the leader of Jamaat-i-Islami in Afghanistan and responsible for the deaths of many innocent minorities during his attacks on Kabul.
Kick all these Afghani refugee out to their land or deported them to their beloved brother country India
Expel them. These people are nothing but trouble for Pakistan. Get them out now.
Anyone but us.
Always blame it on others
wow please change the title... gave me such a shock....
Pakistan has fed and housed a generation of Afghans. We have also been, unfortunately, a market for their drugs and weapons. It is time that Afghanistan took its people back.
So poor homeless refugees, without food to eat, are going around committing terrorism. Innovative thinking.
Way to go! Time Pakistan gave as good as it gets. More of the same plz!
Ok. Non-state actors again? Makes me wonder if there are any 'state-actors' living in Pakistan at all.
now afghan refugees should go back. pakistan cannot afford their burden and also u dnt give shelter to enemies
And the blame game continues. Well done Ms Khar.