Afghan spy chief bomber came from Pak: Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Saturday said the recent assassination attempt on the country's intelligence chief was planned in Pakistan, but vowed it would not stop him from seeking Islamabad's help in coaxing militants to the negotiating table.

The attack, carried out by a suicide bomber posing as a peace messenger, severely wounded Asadullah Khalid, dealing a setback to fragile efforts to reconcile with the Taliban and find a political resolution to the war here, now in its 12th year.

Karzai did not provide any evidence to back up his claim that the attack on Khalid was organized in Pakistan, and he was careful not to accuse Islamabad of having any role in Thursday's suicide blast. But he stressed that he would raise the issue with high-ranking Pakistani officials.

"We will be seeking a lot of clarifications from Pakistan because we know that this man who came there...to meet with Khalid came from Pakistan," Karzai said. "We know that for a fact."

Karzai said Khalid, head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), was recovering from wounds to his torso and lower body after the bomber detonated explosives he had hidden inside his body.

The Pakistan government responded to Karzai's accusation by saying Kabul should share any information it had to back up the allegation.

"Before levelling charges, the Afghan government would do well if they shared information or evidence with the government of Pakistan that they might have with regard to the cowardly attack on the head of the NDS," Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said.

Khan further said Afghan authorities should also probe possible lapses in the security for Khalid.

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