KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday said his government has given Islamabad a list of Taliban militants who were behind terror attacks in his country and had organized them in Pakistan.
“Pakistan is the center of the Taliban,” said Ghani, who demanded that Islamabad take “practical action.”
He acknowledged shortcomings in the intelligence and reconnaissance sectors of the Afghan government, which failed to deter three attacks within a week that killed more than 150 people.
Ghani called for a national consensus on how to deal with the insurgency, which has become more urban after months of US-led offensives in rural areas. US President Donald Trump recently rejected talks with the Taliban in the face of its attacks.
Ghani said his government will fight the militants, but the doors for negotiation are open to those who are willing. “If people think we will collapse, we will not,” he added.
Last week, Ghani vowed to avenge the attacks. Days later, two of his top officials visited Pakistan to share what they said was evidence of the involvement of militants based there.
The attacks, coinciding with deepening political rifts and infighting within the government, have cast doubt over its abilities and that of US-led forces, more than 16 years since the Taliban’s ouster from power.
Ghani did not offer any solutions, and some found nothing new in his much-awaited address to the nation.
“He came with no plan of action to resolve the crisis facing the country,” Bashir Bezhen, an independent political analyst and journalist, told Arab News.
“He repeated what he has said on various occasions in the past. People feel badly disappointed,” Bezhen added.
“They’ve lost hope and trust in this government, and are waiting to have a new government that’s honest and efficient.”
“Pakistan is the center of the Taliban,” said Ghani, who demanded that Islamabad take “practical action.”
He acknowledged shortcomings in the intelligence and reconnaissance sectors of the Afghan government, which failed to deter three attacks within a week that killed more than 150 people.
Ghani called for a national consensus on how to deal with the insurgency, which has become more urban after months of US-led offensives in rural areas. US President Donald Trump recently rejected talks with the Taliban in the face of its attacks.
Ghani said his government will fight the militants, but the doors for negotiation are open to those who are willing. “If people think we will collapse, we will not,” he added.
Last week, Ghani vowed to avenge the attacks. Days later, two of his top officials visited Pakistan to share what they said was evidence of the involvement of militants based there.
The attacks, coinciding with deepening political rifts and infighting within the government, have cast doubt over its abilities and that of US-led forces, more than 16 years since the Taliban’s ouster from power.
Ghani did not offer any solutions, and some found nothing new in his much-awaited address to the nation.
“He came with no plan of action to resolve the crisis facing the country,” Bashir Bezhen, an independent political analyst and journalist, told Arab News.
“He repeated what he has said on various occasions in the past. People feel badly disappointed,” Bezhen added.
“They’ve lost hope and trust in this government, and are waiting to have a new government that’s honest and efficient.”
