ISLAMABD: Pakistan military says the Friday’s terrorist attack on an agriculture centre in Peshawar has been raised with senior Afghan military officials, who are present in Pakistan for talks on security issues.
The army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor TV channels that handlers in Afghanistan were in contact with the gunmen who launched an attack on the Agricultural Directorate in Peshawar.
Provincial Police Chief Salahuddin Khan Mehsood confirmed 6 students were among the dead. Doctors said 9 were killed and over 30 injured.
The banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Taliban spokesman Muhammad Khurasani, who had claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, had also stated that “responsible people were in contact with the attackers and that a video will also be released later.”
The military spokesman said the TTP has “presence in Afghanistan” and has claimed responsibility for the attack. He said Afghanistan-based TTP leaders had been directives to the militants during the attack.
General Ghafoor said evidence was shared with the visiting Afghan military officials.
“Afghanistan has to act against terrorist on the Afghan side of the border,” he further said.
A 7-member high level Afghan military delegation headed by Afghan Chief of General Staff General Mohammad Habib Hesary is engaged in talks with Pakistani counterparts on anti-terror cooperation and border management.
The delegation, arrived in Islamabad on Thursday, also includes high ranking officials from Afghanistan Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the intelligence National Directorate of Security (NDS), according to the Afghan Embassy.
For Pakistan army border management is one of the key issues being taken up with the Afghan military delegation.
Security officials insist that the outlawed TTP and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar use their sanctuaries in the Afghan border regions.
At least five Pakistani security personnel lost their lives in a series of attacks over the past two months on the border posts in Rajgal Valley in Khyber and Bajaur tribal region by militants operating from the Afghan side, according to the army.
Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal condemned the Peshawar attack.
“I condemn in strongest terms today’s cowardly terrorist attack on Peshawar Agriculture Institute resulting in death and injury of innocent students. Our hearts and prayers on this exalted day of Milad-ul-Nabi are with the bereaved families,” ambassador Zakhilwal said on his Twitter.
