Reports being verified in consultation with Afghan authorities
Pakistan is verifying the reports claiming that the banned terrorist outfit Daesh’s branch in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was behind the terrorist attack on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul, a statement issued by Foreign Office said Sunday.
The FO spokesperson, in a statement, said: “We have seen reports that IS-KP has accepted responsibility for the terrorist attack on the Pakistan Embassy compound on 2 December 2022. Independently and in consultation with the Afghan authorities, we are verifying the veracity of these reports.”
The spokesperson also added that the was “another reminder of the threat that terrorism poses to peac and stability in Afghanistan and the region”.
“We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace,” said the statement issued, adding that Pakistan, on its part, remains steadfast in its commitment to combat terrorism.
On Sunday, Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on one of the militant group’s affiliated channels on Telegram.
A day earlier, sources claimed that the suspect involved in the assassination attempt on Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani has been arrested.
According to diplomatic sources, the suspect was residing on the eighth floor of the nearby building and had planted improvised explosive devices (IED) in three rooms on the same floor.
When the Afghan security officials arrived at the building, the suspect tried escaping, however, he was arrested.
The security officials also recovered an AK-47 rifle, a long-range automatic rifle, a sniper rifle and other weapons from the possession of the suspect.
The diplomatic sources further said that the police have also arrested another suspect.
On Friday, Nizamani escaped the assassination bid after the embassy’s compound in Kabul came under attack targeting the head of mission. However, a security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was injured in the attack while protecting the diplomat.
Following the attack, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari received a call from the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Reiterating Afghanistan’s firm resolve to combat terrorism, Foreign Minister Muttaqi had assured the foreign minister that the Afghan government would swiftly bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice.
While Foreign Minister Bilawal called on the Afghan government to prevent the terrorists from undermining relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
