Afghan spy chief in Pakistan to hand over Kabul attack evidence

Islamabad, January 31

A high-level Afghan delegation, comprising the interior minister and the intelligence chief, today arrived in Pakistan to handover evidence relating to the recent deadly attacks in Kabul and a message from President Ashraf Ghani, media reports said.

Foreign office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said the Afghan team, comprising Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and National Directorate of Security chief Masoom Stanekzai, visited Islamabad with a message from President Ashraf Ghani and would hold discussions about cooperation, Dawn reported.

However, Afghanistan’s Tolo News reported, citing an Afghan presidential palace source, that the delegation was to handover evidence to Pakistan regarding the recent attacks in Kabul. The evidence would be shared with the Pakistan Army, the source claimed, without providing further details.

It said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called Ghani last night to pass on his condolences but Ghani refused to take his call. Instead Ghani sent a delegation, including the interior minister and the intelligence chief, to Pakistan to handover evidence relating to the recent attacks.

Afghanistan’s capital Kabul was hit by a spate of deadly attacks in the past 10 days — which killed about 150 persons and wounded hundreds. Islamic State militants on Monday attacked Afghan soldiers guarding a military academy in Kabul killing at least 11 troops and wounding 16.

On January 20, Taliban men attacked the landmark Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul and killed around 25 persons, going from room to room searching for foreigners during the more than 12-hour ordeal. The hotel attack was followed by a Taliban-claimed ambulance bombing on January 27 in Kabul that claimed over 100 lives. —  PTI