NEW DEHLI – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday condemned the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani as a "senseless act" of terror and said the best tribute to him would be to continue his task of securing a peaceful future for people of his country.
In a letter to President Hamid Karzai, Dr. Singh said he had learnt about the incident with "great shock and sadness" and India stands by him and the people of Afghanistan in this hour.

"It is with great shock and sadness that I have learnt of the tragic death of Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani. This is a senseless act of terrorism which the government and people of India condemn," he wrote before leaving for New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly.

Dr. Singh fondly recalled his two meetings with Prof. Rabbani in Kabul in May and later in New Delhi in July this year during which the Afghan leader had shared with his vision of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

"The best tribute the people of Afghanistan can pay to him is to carry on with the task that he had begun — securing a peaceful and safe future for the people of Afghanistan," the Prime Minister said about Prof. Rabbani who was leading the peace efforts.

"Please accept my deepest condolences on the tragic loss," he told Mr. Karzai, assuring him that "India stands by you and the people of Afghanistan in this hour." (PTI)