The country’s security chiefs, who were summoned by lawmakers in the Afghan Parliament on Tuesday to discuss the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul and other provinces, said they "see Taliban involvement" in recent incidents.

The three security chiefs – the acting head of the National Directorate of Security, Ahmad Zia Saraj, the acting minister of interior affairs, Massoud Andarabi, and the army chief of staff, Gen. Bismillah Waziri-- received criticism by MPs for their apparent inability to ensure the safety of the people and prevent deadly attacks, such as the ones at the Kabul hospital and the Nangarhar funeral that claimed dozens of civilian lives.

 The session at one point was taken behind closed doors because of the sensitivity of the material discussed. 

“Pakistan is under pressure for harboring Taliban leadership. The Taliban is trying to capture two to three provinces so they can transfer their leadership here in order to ease pressure on Pakistan,” the acting head of the National Directorate of Security, Ahmad Zia Saraj, said.

“We have evidence that the suicide attacks on the Nangarhar funeral were 'plotted by the Taliban' and the Kabul maternity hospital attack was conducted by 'Haqqani network and Daesh,'” the acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi said. “We have sent these documents to our foreign counterparts,” he said, presumably referring to US officials who said Daesh conducted the Kabul and Nangarhar attacks.

The security leaders at the hearing said the Taliban has increased its attacks on cities and provinces by 15 to 20 percent compared to January and February.

“The Taliban has conducted 630 attacks last week. The defense and security forces have planned 23 operations,” the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Bismillah Waziri said.

But the officials being questioned came under harsh criticism by the lawmakers.

“The food of the soldiers is robbed. Their uniforms are robbed. One soldier was hiding and was asking for help from me. I could not find a security official to help him. Where were you?” asked Zohra Tokhi, an MP.

“The killed and wounded reached 250 in Shewa (district in Nangarhar). The personnel of the Defense Ministry and the NDS killed people there. Now people are asking me for explanation. What should I tell them?” asked another MP Malik Qais Noor Aqa Malikzai.

“The Army chief of staff! Please ask the minister to allow a talented person to have the leadership of the Defense Ministry,” said Wazhma Safi, an MP.