Afghanistan asks Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists

Kabul [Afghanistan]: Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri urged Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists and asked Islamabad to prevent terrorists coming into their territory.

Speaking at a press conference, Waziri said four big terrorist groups which are active in Afghanistan are all located in Pakistan.

He said that terrorist group leaders are based in Pakistan and some of them had even been killed in the country.

“First is an international (group) which are Al-Qaeda and Daesh, second is regional, like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and Chechen (movements), and third are those groups that belong to Pakistan like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and fourth are our own armed oppositions like Taliban and Haqqani network,” Tolo News quoted Waziri as saying.

He said friendship with Islamabad is in Kabul’s interest only if Pakistan accepts it.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been in hot waters with both countries accusing each other of not doing enough to tackle terrorists on their soils.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, and Afghanistan’s National Security Advisor Hanif Atmar had earlier discussed the issue of Afghan-based militants carrying out attacks on Pakistani soil during their meeting in London.

UK’s National Security Advisor Sir Mark Lyall Grant hosted the two dignitaries in London.

Aziz stressed on the need for a comprehensive bilateral engagement between the two countries to rebuild trust and confidence.

The meeting was the highest level face-to-face discussion between representatives of the two countries since Islamabad closed down border crossings with Afghanistan. (ANI)