Gen Raheel Sharif expected to visit Kabul, demanding action against TTP

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif is expected to lead a high level delegation to Kabul in a bid to demand Afghan government to take decisive action against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan associated terrorists hiding in Afghanistan.

According to reliable sources the army chief will hold meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and hand over evidences of TTP's presence in Afghanistan. He will also brief Ashraf Ghani how TTP was using Afghan land to carry out terrorist acts in Pakistan.

Pakistani security forces have intercepted a communication between the attackers of Badaber base and TTP leaders hiding in Afghanistan. The recording of the communication will also be given to Afghan leadership, the sources added.

While talking to media on Saturday the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's special adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz also said the evidences of Badaber Air Base attack will be given to Afghanistan. Sartaj Aziz added that Afghanistan must ensure implementation of the agreed points during PM Nawaz Sharif’s visit.

Meanwhile Islamabad has sent a clear message to Kabul to target safe sanctuaries of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan. Militants have continuously been using Afghan land as a base camp to attack Pakistan and Afghan forces have failed to stop their penetration into Pakistan.

Pakistan army has also prepared a list of militant hideouts located in Afghanistan that will be shared with both Afghan government and United States. White House will be requested to consider targeting the TTP militants in CIA’s drone attacks in Afghan region.

The Pakistani side will also urge Afghan minister to start implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) to share intelligence information for action against militants across the border.

According to sources the matter will be raised in upcoming visit of Afghan Defence Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi who is expected to visit Islamabad in first week of October.

Earlier on Friday the spokesperson of Pakistan Army said the attack on PAF Badaber base camp was planned and controlled by TTP militants hiding in Afghanistan. Major-General Asim Bajwa however added that army believes that Afghan government was not involved in planning or execution of the attack.

According to him the attackers of PAF base were in communication with TTP group in Afghanistan.

He further told reporters in a press conference that MoU signed between Pakistan’s ISI and Afghan NDS was not being implemented in true spirit.

However the spokesperson of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has dismissed the statement of Pakistan army saying “Afghanistan is not behind Badaber attack”. He reiterated that it has never nor will it ever allow its territory to be used against other states.

“Afghanistan, as a victim of terrorism, feels the agony and pain of terrorism, and commiserates in that spirit with the victims of yesterday’s attack in Peshawar,” he further added.

A group of thirteen terrorists stormed Badaber camp base on Friday morning killing as many as 29 people including several security personnel. Another 30 were left injured while all 13 attackers were killed in clearance operation of security forces.