ISLAMABAD:
Afghan authorities said on Wednesday that Islamabad has not shared with them any intelligence regarding the presence of fugitive Pakistani Taliban, including the notorious Mullah Fazlullah, in eastern Afghanistan.
Islamabad insists Mullah Fazlullah, the commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (Swat chapter), has regrouped his fighters in the Afghan province of Kunar and has been mounting sporadic attacks on Pakistani border posts and villages.
According to the Pakistani military, Mullah Fazlullah’s loyalists have carried out around 15 attacks in a year, killing dozens of people – both civilians and security personnel.
Afghanistan, however, claims that TTP militants are hiding in remote mountainous regions on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line.
Wasifullah Wasifi, the spokesperson for the governor of Kunar, told The Express Tribune that Pakistan has not shared any evidence to substantiate its claims about the presence of Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan.
Wasifi’s comments came days after Pakistan took up the issue of Mullah Fazlullah’s extradition with Marc Grossman, US President Barack Obama’s pointman for the region.
The issue was raised after the TTP claimed responsibility for the October 9 attack on teenage peace activist Malala Yousafzai. According to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Fazlullah planned the attack, and that the attackers later returned to their “safe havens” in Afghanistan.
“The Pakistani leader’s statement is incorrect … Fazalullah and the terrorists fighting Pakistani forces are not in Kunar province,” Wasifi said. He added that the Swat Taliban spokesman had also claimed in several interviews that they were operating from Pakistan’s border regions.
“We do not accept Pakistan’s claim that information about anti-Pakistani elements have been shared with us,” Wasifi added.
Meanwhile, the Afghan interior ministry reiterated calls for the custody of Afghan Taliban leaders who, they allege, are living in Pakistan.
Spokesman Ghulam Sediq Sediqi told the Afghan media that Kabul has urged Islamabad to hand over Afghan Taliban leaders in Pakistan. He also denied the presence of Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan.
Rocket attacks
Wasifi claimed there has been no let up in ‘rocket attacks from the Pakistani side of the border’. He said over 150 rockets had been fired at two border districts on Tuesday. Pakistan denies firing on the civilian population and says its forces target locations from where its border posts receive fire.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2012.
COMMENTS (12)
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I think Pakistan should send some dossiers to Afghanistan, which contains evidence. Hope Afghanistan doesn't reject as mere information.
@mc duffy: What exactly is the logic behind the conclusion that anyone would turn to Pakistan for anything unless they had no other choice? You also seem to lack understanding of how the outside, more civilized world works. Full withdrawal isn't happening any time in the near future and even when it does, it doesn't mean they'll ignore Afghanistan if something goes wrong. Withdrawal simply means there's the belief Afghanistan can hold their own. If they are wrong and Afghanistan ended up needing help, they would go to the US and the allies long before resorting to Pakistan and they would probably get the help. Also if patterns and impressions hold true, their issue will probably be Pakistan to begin with.
Interesting, not only has Fazlullahs spokesperson admitted himself that he is in Afghanistan but Afghan officials also admit this though not in public.
THe evidence earlier given by Pakistan about Fazullah cannot stand the court of law in Afghanistan ! . Please allow our judicial commission to cross check your evidence in pakistan on how you came to the conclusion that Fazullah is in Afganistan..We the government of Afganistan cannot act on whimsical accusation from pakistan...I heard these same rhetoric over and over by Pakistan to India.
the afghanis are themselves to blame for most of their problems they are highly corrupt and had refused to accept pakistans formation in 47, when america and its allies leave afghanistan then they will come to our country begging for help ,at that time pakistan should start its own drone programmes in afg.
I get the sense that natural justice is being served here. Things have come a full circle now. Just goes to show that nothing ever comes out of propagating violence.
Pakistan is getting paid back in the same coin. Reminds me of the many times anyone and everyone from Pakistan sang the same song about OBL's presence in Pakistan. In a unified voice the usual bleat from Pakistan was please share the evidence with us ( Pakistan) if you know of OBL's whereabouts in Pakistan. Where was he found? They call it a sneezing distance.
The shoe is on the other foot! Afghanistan is using Pakistan's own tricks against it!
It was only 5 or so years ago the Karzai Govt and NATO used to say the same thing about the hit-and-run attacks from Pakistan onto NATO and Afghan targets. Now, its the other way around!
Pakistan used to reply with give us proof or outright denial.
Heck, Pakistan used the very same ploy with India too just back in Mumbai - "Give us proof", "Evidence does not hold up", "There are no such individuals on our soil(Dawood Ibrahim)".
This is poetic justice indeed.
Better to search him in Pindi or Islamabad. May be some one is protecting this strategic asset.
Heh! The very same Pakistan defense when India talks of Dawood Ibrahim or Jaish-E-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar!!
Post Nazi Germany, German rulers ensured that a disastrous propaganda can never flourish in their land by framing tough laws. If Pakistan indeed has enlightened, modernist and moderate majority and thus a govt. that's elected by such majority - then it should make laws that'll both punish extreme ideology of religion, teaching/arming of extremism and ensure no private militia can raise their head.
If they won't do that, it'll only show majority Pakistanis are not bothered about extremist ideologues and their activities - and thus are part of slow poison that'll destroy Pakistan even worser than 1971.
Ha Ha Ha, My stomach is bursting out laughing. Now, let us see how Pak is going to deal with this.
This is getting very interesting. Pakistan is getting the same tea which it has been serving others for long. Hope it tastes as good as the tea it served.