Unfair to blame Kabul for supporting terrorism: Afghanistan's Chief Executive

Kabul [Afghanistan], Feb. 20 (ANI): Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has said it is unfair to accuse Kabul of supporting terrorism and violence as the country itself is a victim of terrorism. He made these remarks during the Council of Ministers' meeting on Monday. "The only solution in the fight against terrorism is to cooperate [with the anti-terror campaign] and to stop supporting terrorism," Tolo News quoted Abdullah, as saying. His comments came in response to Pakistan's claim of Afghan-based insurgents being behind the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine blast in Sindh province. At least 88 people were killed and several others were wounded in the attack. Pakistan had closed down the Torkham border crossing with Afghanistan for an indefinite period of time after the attack and had reportedly carried out strikes on militant bases in eastern parts of Afghanistan. Abdullah said people on both sides are concerned over the rise of violence across the Durand Line in the past couple of days. He said Afghanistan has a friendly foreign policy and friendly relations with its neighbors and this does not mean that Kabul can or should be accused of harbouring terrorists or militants. Abdullah said the security forces have been directed to be restrained to prevent escalation of violence along the Durand Line. Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) warned on Sunday that Kabul will use all means at its disposal to respond to Pakistan if it did not stop rocket attacks on its soil. (ANI)