Pakistan rejected a New York Times report that al-Qaeda established new bases in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, saying Pakistani security forces are taking all measures to counter the threat of terrorism. ``We strongly reject aspersions against authorities in Pakistan and their commitment to combat the menace of extremism and terrorism,'' the official Associated Press of Pakistan cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam as saying yesterday in Islamabad. Pakistan is committed ``not to allow its territory to be used for militancy and violence against Afghanistan.''
Senior al-Qaeda leaders have set up training bases in tribal areas as the terrorist network gains strength, the Times reported Feb. 19, citing unidentified U.S. government officials. Pakistan has rejected criticism from the U.S., the NATO-led security force in Afghanistan and the Afghan government that it isn't doing enough to tackle terrorism and secure the 2,430- kilometer (1,510-mile) border. Pakistan has deployed more than 80,000 soldiers and maintains about 1,000 military posts on the frontier, Aslam said.
Afghanistan must also take steps to defeat the insurgency by fighters of the Taliban regime that was ousted in the U.S.-led war on terrorism in 2001, Aslam said. The phenomenon of Talibanization is a common threat to Pakistan and Afghanistan, she added. |