KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Lawmakers, members of provincial councils and civil society activists from the southeastern Khost province on Friday alleged that acting Governor Abdul Jabbar Naeemi had links with militants and he and other responsible should be prosecuted following a devastating suicide attack in the province the other day.
The death toll into the attack on Thursday in Khost province surged to 20 as two more tribal elders succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Mubariz Zadran, spokesman for the acting governor, on Friday confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News that 20 persons were dead and the widely condemned bombing left another 64, most of them seriously, wounded.
Addressing a press conference, Kamal Nasar Asoli, Khost representative in Wolesi Jirga, said: “Naeemi is not only involved in administrative corruption but also has links with terrorists.”
He warned they would launch series of protests until Naeemi was removed from his post as governor.
Qamar Ali Lagnawal, another lawmaker, demanded the intelligence and security organs to start immediate investigations into the barbaric attack and arrest killers immediately.
“President Ashraf Ghani should issues directives to arrest the perpetrators of the gruesome act including the acting governor for negligence to ensure security of the protesters,” he demanded.
Dilawar Shah, a tribal elder, vowed they would continue their protest until their demands were met.
Khost Police Chief Brig. Gen. Faiza Ullah Ghairat said police had started investigations into the attack but did not so far arrest anyone. However, he said that his force had stepped up efforts to nab the planners of the attack.
shah/rm