Suspect involved in attack on Pakistan embassy in Kabul ‘held’
KABUL
Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday telephoned Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to condemn the terrorist attack on Pakistan’s Head of Mission in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani.
Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani escaped an assassination bid on Friday. The gun attack was carried out at a time when Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani was walking in the garden of Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul.
Reiterating Afghanistan’s firm resolve to combat terrorism, Foreign Minister Muttaqi assured Bilawal Bhutto that the Afghan government will bring the perpetrators of this heinous attack to justice swiftly.
According to the Foreign Office, the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister also conveyed his good wishes and prayers for the early recovery of the security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad.
FM Bilawal thanked the Interim Afghan government for its strong expression of solidarity and underscored that safety and security of Pakistan’s diplomatic personnel in Afghanistan was of utmost importance.
The Afghan government must prevent the terrorists from undermining relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said.
The foreign minister also reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to fight terrorism, saying that Pakistan will be undeterred by such cowardly attacks.
The suspect involved in the assassination attempt on Pakistan’s Head of Mission to Kabul Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani was arrested Saturday. According to diplomatic sources, the suspect was residing on the 8th 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.
