Pakistan foreign ministry rubbishes Nato secret report’s allegations
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 6:24:31 by Asma Rafique
Pakistan foreign ministry rubbishes Nato secret report’s allegations
Foreign ministry of Pakistan has promptly rubbished the allegations of assisting Afghan Taliban secretly, as claimed in a leaked Nato document.
Calling the accusations "ridiculous", Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Abul Basit has said that his country was committed to non-interference in Afghanistan as a stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan.
"We are committed to non-interference in Afghanistan and expect all other states to strictly adhere to this principle," is how Abdul Basit, the spokesman of Pakistan Foreign ministry, reacted when reached for a comment.
"A stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in our own interests. We cannot indulge in any activity which takes us away from achieving that objective," he added further.
Nato, in a leaked document – that was seen by BBC and The Times – had alleged Pakistan and its premier intelligence agency ISI of secretly assisting the Taliban commanders. The report had also claimed that Islamabad knows the hideouts of senior Taliban and
Al-Qaida leaders.
"We have long been concerned about ties between elements of the ISI and some extremist networks," said Captain John Kirby, US Pentagon spokesman, adding that the US Defence Department had not yet seen the report.
The report has been compiled after interrogating more than 40,000 detained Taliban, al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters and civilians. The Nato and ISAF forces made more than 27,000 interrogations in this regard.
"Pakistan knows everything. They control everything. I can’t [expletive] on a tree in Kunar without them watching," a senior al-Qaeda detainee has been quoted as saying in the report.
"The Taliban are not Islam. The Taliban are Islamabad."
It is pertinent to mention that the report had surfaced at a time when the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar was in Kabul for talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. This was the first visit from a high level government official since the deadly
November 26 attack by Nato and ISAF forces, which killed 24 Pakistan soldiers.
Tags: Afghanistan, ISAF, NATO, Taliban
Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=11585
Posted by Asma Rafique
on Feb 2 2012. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan.
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