Khan’s killers received calls from Pakistan: minister

KABUL before conducting the attack, the interior minister said on Tuesday.

Jan Mohammad Khan, Karzai’s advisor and former governor of central Uruzgan province, was killed along with Mohammad Hasham Watanwal, a member of the Wolesi Jirga, in the assault on his residence in Kabul late on Sunday night.

While testifying before MPs, the minister said the gunmen had received calls from certain provinces of Pakistan and Afghanistan before the assault. Without naming the provinces, Gen. Bismillah Khan Mohammadi said: “We have exact information about the places from where the calls were made.”

One of the assailants, identifying himself as a resident of Uruzgan, entered the advisor’s house and told Khan that his nephew Matiullah — a highway commander — had sacked him from his job, the minister told legislators.

The man left the house after Khan gave him some money along with a recommendation letter. Moments later, he returned along with his associate to assassinate the advisor and his guest, Watanwal, Mohammadi said.

He added the attackers, who wore suicide vests, wanted to escape. One of them was gunned down soon after police reached the spot, while another resisted for several hours. The minister said none of the victims had security guards.

Also present during the session, the National Directorate of Intelligence (NDS) deputy head claimed having detailed information about a string of attacks on noted tribal elders and government officials.

However, Dr. Zia refused to share the information with media representatives. As a result, reporters were asked to leave the Wolesi Jirga.

mud

Visits: 5