London: A top British officer accused Pakistan of allowing the Taliban to use its territory as "headquarters" for attacks on western forces in Afghanistan.
Colonel Chris Vernon, chief of staff for southern Afghanistan, said the Taliban leadership was coordinating its campaign from the western Pakistani city of Quetta, near the Afghan border.
"The thinking piece of the Taliban is out of Quetta in Pakistan. It's the major headquarters," he told the Guardian newspaper. "They use it to run a series of networks in Afghanistan."
The top army officer said the Quetta leadership controlled "about 25" mid-level commanders dotted across the Afghan south, one of whom was captured last month. He declined to name him.
Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, also echoed similar comments after killing of more than 100 people this week and callled on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to bring an end to the bloodshed.
Yesterday, Karzai said Pakistani religious schools were teaching students to go to Afghanistan to burn down schools or medical clinics.
The unusually forthright British criticism, reflecting sentiments normally expressed in private by western commanders, drew a furious denial from the Pakistani military.
"It is absolutely absurd that someone is talking like this. If the Taliban leadership was in Quetta we would be out of our minds not to arrest them," said a spokesman, Major General Shaukat Sultan.
Col Vernon did not say whether Mullah Omar, the Taliban's leader, was also sheltering in Quetta.
Comments
0 comment