RAW, NDS 'patronising terror groups' to attack soft targets in Pakistan: Pak NSA to US envoy

Alleging that the terrorists who attacked the Quetta Police Training College were constantly in contact with their leadership and handlers in Afghanistan, Pakistan National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua on Wednesday conveyed to United States ambassador David Hale that India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) are "patronising terrorists groups to attack soft targets" in the country.

Janjua emphasised on the need to break the nexus between terrorist groups operation under the supervision of NDS and RAW and sought US assistance to tackle the situation in this regard, reported the Dawn quoting a statement released by the office of the NSA.

The meeting, which was held in the backdrop of the Police Training College attack, also discussed counter-terrorism operations and cross-border attacks.

The American ambassador was also briefed on Pakistan's efforts to improve the current security situation in the country through implementation of the National Action Plan.

Hale, on the occasion, condemned the attack in Quetta and offered his regrets. He also offered American support for the same.

Heavily-armed militants wearing suicide vests stormed a police academy in Quetta, killing at least 61 people and wounding at least 117, in the deadliest attack on a security installation in the country's history.

Three gunmen burst into the sprawling academy, targeting sleeping quarters home to some 700 recruits, and sent terrified young men aged between 15 and 25 fleeing.

The Dawn reported IG Frontier Corps (FC) Major General Sher Afgan as saying that communication intercepts showed the attack was carried out by Al-Alimi faction of the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) militant group.

However, the militant Islamic State group also claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's Amaq news agency.