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| Afghanistan |
| Kabul bothered over Uruk-Hai's comment |
| 2007-02-19 |
| Afghanistan demanded on Sunday that Pakistan make clear its position on an “irresponsible” statement by the NWFP governor that Afghan people support Taliban insurgents. The Afghan foreign ministry said the comment last week by NWFP Governor Al Jan Orakzai was a “direct and flagrant interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan”. “Such expressions are further examples of continuing direct and indirect attempts by certain circles within the Pakistani intelligence and political establishment to prevent emergence of an independent, peaceful and democratic Afghanistan in the region,” a FO statement said. The ministry cited Orakzai as saying Afghans, particularly Pashtuns who live in an area straddling the border, back the Taliban, which it called a “terrorist group”. He also said, “the Taliban are gaining public support and that Pashtuns are using terrorist attacks as tools to gain more political representation in Afghanistan,” the statement said. Aurakzai told reporters on Saturday he believed the roots of the insurgency are in Afghanistan. “There are maybe five percent, 10 percent, okay 20 percent (of the Taliban) from this side but 8O percent of them are in Afghanistan,” he said, adding the insurgency was turning into a “liberation war”. The ministry accused Aurakzai of characterising “terrorism as a liberal movement” and showing his opposition to UN Security Council resolutions on rooting it out, and cited his “contemplative and practical ties” with it. “In accordance with international norms and laws, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan calls upon the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to clarify its official position on these irresponsible and intrusive statements,” it said. |
| Posted by:Fred |