Pakistan gets assurance from Kabul on action against militants: Army

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today said it has got assurance from Afghanistan and ISAF leadership that they will take action against militants hiding in border areas and believed to be involved in the Peshawar school massacre.

Army chief General Raheel Sharif yesterday made unplanned trip to Afghanistan along with Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar and met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander General John Campbell.

Army said hat Kabul has promised to take action against militants.

"Afghan president assured General Raheel Sharif that Afghan soil will not be allowed for terrorists' activities against Pakistan and any signature found in this regard will be immediately eliminated," the army said in a statement.

It said that ISAF commander also pledged support to eliminate terrorist.

Military sources said that Pakistan shared specific intelligence about the involvement of militants hiding in Afghanistan's Kunar areas, including Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah.

The Afghan side did not comment on the surprise visit by Pakistan army chief.

Pakistan has long alleged that Fazlullah was using Afghan soil to attack Pakistan but the latest incident of massacre apparently has crossed all limits, building pressure on Pakistan army to take punitive actions, an analyst said.

The attack on Army Public School on Warsak Road in Peshawar on Tuesday was the most gruesome militant assault in Pakistan's history, bringing international condemnation and outrage.

At least 148, mostly children, were killed in the attack claimed by Pakistan Taliban.