Pak verifying reports if Daesh behind embassy attack: Baloch

Pakistan has seen reports that Daesh has accepted responsibility for the terrorist atack. Independently and in consultation with the Afghan authorities, we are verifying the veracity of these reports: FO

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) said on Sunday that it was “verifying the veracity of reports” regarding the militant Daesh group claiming responsibility for the atack on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul.

On Friday, the embassy in Kabul came under atack with Chargé d’affaires (CDA) to Afghanistan Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani being targeted. Nizamani was unscathed but his guard was critically wounded.

The Daesh group’s Khorasan chapter on Sunday claimed responsibility for the atack, confirming that it was targeting the Pakistani envoy.

The statement, posted on social media in Arabic, said two armed assailants atacked the Pakistani envoy and his guards with “medium weapons and snipers,” while they were in the embassy’s courtyard.

Responding to the claims, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan had “seen reports that Daesh has accepted responsibility for the terrorist atack.”

“Independently and in consultation with the Afghan authorities, we are verifying the veracity of these reports,” she said.

“This notwithstanding, the terrorist atack is yet another reminder of the threat that terrorism poses to peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region. We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace,” she said.

For its part, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to combat terrorism, she added.

The Foreign Office, in a statement released on Friday had confirmed that the target of the atack was Nizamani, who remained unhurt.

It had “strongly condemned” the atack, but added the embassy would continue to function normally and there were no plans to withdraw diplomats from Kabul.

The Afghan chargé d’affaires was also summoned to the foreign ministry to formally protest over the atack.

According to an official, Nizamani was walking in Pakistan mission’s lawn in Kabul’s Kart-i-parwan neighbourhood when terrorists shot at him.

The shots hit a security guard, identified as soldier Israr Mohammad, who was “critically injured” while atempting to save Nizamani, according to the foreign office.

Mohammad, who was hit by two bullets, was shited to a hospital and later moved to Peshawar via helicopter.

Nizamani has been in Kabul for less than a month since he took over the charge as head of mission, replacing former ambassador Mansoor Ahmed Khan on Nov.4.

Meanwile, the Balochistan police have issued a threat alert for a suicide atack on security forces in Queta, local media reported.

In a statement, Queta’s central police office said it had reliably learnt that Daesh was planning to carry out a suicide atack in Queta.

In this regard, a female suicide bomber named Zeenat, wife of Ziaur Rehman, daughter of Yar Muhammad Shahwani and resident of Khadkocha, had already volunteered herself for the suicide atack, the police said.

The statement said that it was further learnt that she was currently living with “Daesh terrorist” Ghulam Din at an undisclosed location in Mastung district.

She had remained reportedly present with militants in their hideout at Pari Jhal and Nagao areas in the Bolan range, the statement said. The central police office has asked all authorities concerned to take necessary action and preventive measures through concerned SSP and SPS in their respective areas to avoid any untoward incident.

“All entry and exit points of Queta will be checked and more security personnel will be deployed,” Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove said.

Earlier, local media reported that suspect involved in the assassination atempt on Nizamani was arrested on Saturday.

According to diplomatic sources, the suspect was residing on the 8th floor of a nearby building and had planted improvised explosive devices (IEDS) in three rooms on the same floor.

When the Afghan security officials arrived at the building, the suspect tried to escape. 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.