Danish Siddiqui was brutally killed by the very people whom he idolised

Earlier the Afghan foreign ministry was quick to extend its condolences on his death and reaffirmed the country's commitment to freedom of expression

In a major mark of respect and homage, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday called the father of slain Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui. During the phone conversation, he extended condolence to him.

The readout from the Afghan Presidential palace said, " President Ashraf Ghani in a phone call today, extended his deep condolence to father of Danish Siddiqui, the Reuters Agency's Indian photojournalist who was recently killed during Taliban Attack in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar".

"The late journalist's father expressed gratitude to President Ghani for his condolence."

Aziz Amin, Special Secretary to the Afghan president's called and in a tweet said:

This is the highest level of respect from the Afghan government. Earlier the Afghan foreign ministry was quick to extend its condolences on his death and reaffirmed the country's commitment to freedom of expression.

Danish's mortal remains were brought back to India on Sunday and he was buried in his Alma mater Jamia Millia Islamia. India had raised the killing of the journalist at the United Nations Security Council.

India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said, "We condemn the killing of Indian Photo Journalist Danish Siddiqui while he was on a reporting assignment in Kandahar in Afghanistan yesterday. I extend our sincerest condolences to his bereaved family."

Indian Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, media bodies like Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) of South Asia, and the Press Club of India (PCI) also paid homage to the Pulitzer Prize winner Siddiqui.