Pak behind deadly Ghazni attack: Afghanistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], Aug 29 (ANI): Afghanistan's Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Wednesday said that Pakistan's military provided the sufficient aid to the Taliban militants and plotted the deadly attack in Ghazni earlier this month, which claimed over 100 lives.

"Pakistan and Pakistan's military were involved in the plan to attack Ghazni. Pakistan provided all sufficient aid to them and it's very clear," TOLOnews quoted MoI spokesperson Najib Danish as saying.

Meanwhile, Afghan Defense Ministry deputy spokesman, Mohammad Radmanish said, "There has been an intelligence weakness in Ghazni."

Earlier, Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa rubbished claims from Kabul that Islamabad supported the Taliban in carrying out the Ghazni attack.

In a statement, Bajwa had said, "COAS reiterates that there is no support to any terrorist activity inside Afghanistan from Pakistan side. The alleged return of injured/dead terrorists from Ghazni is incorrect."

Bajwa's denial came after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani questioned the Pakistani Army Chief that as to why the Taliban militants who are accused of carrying out the attack in Ghazni were receiving treatment in Pakistan hospitals.

"General Bajwa, you signed a document with us and told me repeatedly in our conversations over the phone that when the elections (in Pakistan) are over you will pay attention to it. I need answers now..From where they came and why are they receiving treatment in your hospitals," the Voice of America had quoted Ghani as saying.

On August 13, Afghanistan had confirmed that more than 100 people were killed and over 150 others were injured after the Taliban launched an attack in Ghazni. The Afghan President had visited the war-affected city to take stock of the situation and ordered an investigation into the attacks.

Security officials had said that the Taliban had planned the attack six months ago and deployed other fighters in Ghazni from neighbouring provinces in what was seen to add more teeth to the militant group. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI