Will Afghanistan help Pakistan trace University attackers?

Pakistan army chief Raheel Sharif on Thursday called Afghan leaders, including President Ashraf Ghani, and chief of US military mission there to seek cooperation against handlers of a deadly Taliban assault at a university after initial probe linked the attackers to Afghanistan.

The attack at Bacha Khan University in northwestern town of Charsadda yesterday killed 21 people, mostly students.

Army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa in a series of tweets said that General Sharif called "President Ashraf Ghani, CEO Dr Abdullah Abdullah and Command Resolute Support Mission in Afghan Gen John Campbell and shared details with them."

"As investigations and leads so far, Charsadda terror attack was being controlled from a location in Afghanistan through Afghan cell phones by a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan operative," he said.

"The COAS (the Chief of Army Staff) asked for their cooperation in locating and targeting those responsible for this heinous act and bring them to justice," Bajwa said.

Bajwa indicated yesterday that soil of foreign country was used in the attack but did not blame Afghanistan.

Militant leader Umar Mansoor, who masterminded Peshawar school attack of December 16, 2014 which killed 150 people mostly students, claimed responsibility for yesterday's attack.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said that the investigation into the attack will be completed shortly and action will be taken against terrorists and their facilitators involved in attack.

He said the terror attack has further strengthened the country's resolve for elimination of terrorism.

Pakistan maintains contacts with the Afghan government at various levels to find a solution to different issues related to the security, Radio Pakistan quoted Khalilullah as saying.

He said Pakistan desires peace in Afghanistan and the recent Heart of Asia conference in Islamabad was a big step in that direction.

He said meetings of four-nation group on Afghanistan will continue and all issues related to the reconciliation process involving the Afghan government and Taliban would be resolved within its framework.