Afghan Americans urge US to put pressure on Pakistan

Washington: Afghan-Americans have urged the US and international community to put multifaceted pressure on Pakistan to stop its support to terror groups in Afghanistan.

The Afghan-Americans held a peaceful demonstration against Pakistan in Washington over the weekend and expressed their deepest condolences to the families of Afghan security forces who lost their lives in a recent terrorist attack on Balkh province.

More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a coordinated Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan.

Afghans?around the world are expressing their disgust toward continued terrorism and bloodshed in their homeland, a group of Afghan-Americans said in a statement.

"We call on the US and the rest of the international community to put multifaceted pressure on Pakistan to stop its support for terrorist groups and organisations in Afghanistan and in the region, including the elimination of terrorist sanctuaries in the country," the statement said.

"We call on United Nations High? Commissioner for Human? Rights to investigate and document the incidents of war crimes in Afghanistan, including attacks on houses of worship, hospitals, and public structures, and identify and prosecute the perpetrators involved in the incidents," they said.

The protestors said that they believe a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is crucial for a stable region and a stable world.

"Thus we consider it a regional and international responsibility to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven for international terrorism again," said the group of Afghan Americans.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are at an all time low after a series of terror attacks in the two countries for which both sides blame each other.