Kabul, Oct 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Former president Burhanuddin Rabbani was assassinated by a Pakistani, a statement issued by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's office stated Sunday.


Rabbani, who was head of the High Peace Council tasked with trying to reach a negotiated settlement to the 10-year war, was killed Sep 20 by a suicide bomber who blew himself up in Rabbani's home in Kabul. The incident occurred during a meeting for peace talks with the Islamic Taliban movement.

"The person who committed the attack against Rabbani is a Pakistani," the Afghanistan president house's statement said.

On Saturday, Afghan security agency's spokesman Latifulla Mashal said that the assassination had been plotted in Pakistan and the main figure involved in the assassination had been already arrested.

Hundreds of Afghans took to the streets of Kabul Sunday to condemn recent shelling of border cities by Pakistan's army and accusing its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of involvement in the assassination of Rabbani.

The protest comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours, Afghans accusing Pakistan and the ISI of backing insurgent groups in Islamabad's own interests, which Pakistan denies.