Afghanistan’s foreign minister urged Pakistan on Wednesday to demonstrate consistency and sincerity in its policy of helping to defeat Taliban and Al Qaeda militants. Abdullah Abdullah, who is visiting Malaysia to attract investment to help rebuild his war-shattered country’s economy, said that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the area of security had to move forward in a more robust manner. “But what is needed is a policy of consistency and continuity and sincerity that will help us overcome this challenge,” said Abdullah.The comments come days after a suicide car bomb attack aimed at a former Afghan president who blamed Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence agency for the attack. Sibghatullah Mujadadi, who leads a panel to encourage Taliban defections, escaped with slight wounds, but two suicide bombers and two civilians were killed in the attack, for which the Taliban have claimed responsibility. Pakistan has denied the accusation that its nationals were involved.
Cooperation rather than finding fault with other countries was the swiftest way to resolve the problem, Abdullah said. “Cooperation is something that we need to continue and we need to continue to work together,” he said, adding that the elimination of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants was a challenge for the international community and Afghanistan’s neighbours. “So it’s important that we get to the business of dealing with this issue, rather than getting diverted in blaming Pakistan, for example, for what is happening here.” Asked if he knew where Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar was, Abdullah said, “Mulla Omar is not in Afghanistan, that’s as much as I can say with a degree of certainty.”