Pakistan concealed Mulla Omar’s death for two years: Abdullah

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan on Tuesday blamed Pakistan for keeping the death of Mulla Omar a secret for two years and criticised it for creating the new Afghan Taliban leadership which it called a “new criminal” and called for a review of future peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.
A day after President Ashraf Ghani blamed Pakistan for bringing the war into Afghanistan by supporting and training the Afghan militants, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, while addressing his council of ministers, said, “Pakistan kept Mulla Omar’s death a secret for two years, and then openly held a new leadership meeting in order to restore their identity under the leadership of a new criminal, to gain legitimacy and continue their carnage.”
Abdullah’s tirade comes just two days before an Afghan delegation is due here to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif.
Afghanistan has clearly told Pakistan to keep out of future Afghan peace and reconciliation efforts.
Calling the new Taliban leadership “criminal”, hit Pakistan hard as Islamabad’s efforts to hold another round of peace talks in Murree have been dashed, at least for the time being.
On Monday, Ghani, while ridiculing Pakistan’s efforts for peace talks in Murree, which he had welcomed and sent his emissaries to, had said, “Peace and reconciliation is the responsibility of the state of Afghanistan alone and it will take it forward according to its own ways and means. We don’t want Pakistan to bring Taliban to the peace talks,” he had said.
Tuesday also saw a dejected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who while addressing the Belarusian State University in Minsk stressed the need for regional peace and prosperity. “We want cordial and cooperative ties with India and Afghanistan.”
Abdullah referred to Nawaz Sharif’s statement in Kabul earlier this year when he had said that Afghanistan’s enemy was Pakistan’s enemy.
“We were told Afghanistan’s enemy is Pakistan’s enemy. What kind of enemy of Pakistan is this? They kill people here and move around freely there?” Dr Abdullah said.
The Foreign Office, while responding to Ghani’s accusations, had said on Monday, “Having been the biggest victim of terrorism itself... Pakistan can feel the pain and anguish of the brotherly people... of Afghanistan. Terrorism is our common enemy and requires cooperative approach to combat this menace.”
Last week Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had clearly said that the deceased Taliban chief Mulla Omar was neither killed nor buried in Pakistan and Pakistan did not want to be part of any controversy related to the Afghan Taliban.
“I want to reiterate that Mulla Omar neither died in Pakistan nor his burial was held here. The statements of his children and relatives are on record. Whether he died now or earlier, this is also a controversy that we do not want to be involved in,” Asif had told the Lower House.
Abdullah also blamed Pakistan of nurturing and financing extremism in Afghanistan and supporting elements who commit crimes in Afghanistan and are being financed and armed in neighbouring Pakistan.
“In regards to Pakistan… in spite of our people’s scepticism, we took bold steps to improve relations, but unfortunately, Pakistan did cooperate in anti-terrorism activities over the past 10 months as we expected… and they issued good statements, but those who commit crimes against our people are financed there, they are armed there,” said Abdullah.
“Not only has no change been detected in the military machinery of the Taliban over the last 10 months, but it has in fact gotten stronger… because they don’t feel any pressure, and they are armed and financed, and resort to unencumbered mobility,” he said.
Referring to the recent wave of attacks in Kabul and parts of Afghanistan, which killed nearly 70 people over the past few days, the Afghan leader said, “We know who is behind these atrocities, those who plan such attacks are outside the country. Those who take responsibility for these crimes are in Pakistan.”
“As terrorists take responsibility after broad daylight attacks on Afghan soil, no limitations have been imposed on their activities and they continue their shameless attacks,” Dr Abdullah said, calling for a review of peace talks with the Taliban following the attacks in Kabul.