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
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.
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.