Islamabad, Sept 21: Islamabad has condemned the assassination of former Afghanistan President Syed Burhanuddin Rabbani, describing him as a “friend” with whom Pakistan was working closely on Afghan reconciliation efforts.

Rabbani, who had been tasked with trying to negotiate a political end to the war in Afghanistan, was killed by a suicide bomber on Tuesday evening.

“President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani have condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack which has led to the Shahadat of Syed Burhanuddin Rabbani, Chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council and former President of Afghanistan, and injured many others,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Rabbani has been martyred by the enemies of peace in Afghanistan, it stated.

“Professor Burhauddin Rabbani was a friend of Pakistan with whom we were working closely within the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for Reconciliation and Peace on a vision for peace and prosperity in Afghanistan,” it added.

On behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistani leadership has conveyed to the brotherly people and the Government of Afghanistan, extreme anger and shock on the terrorist attack, the statement said.

“The people of Pakistan stand by their Afghan brothers and sisters in this moment of grief on losing a visionary leader who was actively pursuing peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan,” it added. (ANI)