KABUL: Afghan intelligence on Wednesday accused Pakistani spies of poisoning schoolgirls as authorities battle to halt a string of alleged attacks that have sown panic in parts of the north.
At least 15 suspects have been detained over mysterious illnesses, which usually include mass fainting episodes, that have struck scores of schoolgirls in Takhar province almost daily for the past two weeks.
"The regional spy agencies, namely ISI, are behind it. They are trying to sabotage the Shanghai Conference and the success of Afghan education," National Directorate of Security spokesman Lutfullah Mashal told reporters.
Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency is widely reviled in Afghanistan, where it is accused of fomenting the Taliban insurgency due to its historic links to the Afghan militia that ruled from 1996 to 2001.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan are attending this week's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Beijing as observers.
A teacher and three female students are among those arrested and all 15 have confessed to being involved in poisoning, Mashal said.
But the ISI dismissed the Afghan accusations as "absurd and senseless".
"This is an attempt to strain ties between the two countries. Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in our interest," a Pakistani intelligence official told AFP.
Afghan officials regularly accuse Taliban insurgents, who banned schooling for girls while in power from 1996 to 2001, of poisoning school wells or using "gas" or "toxic powder" against the girls.
None have died, however, and no traces of poison have been found in blood samples, officials say.
Experts suggest that a phenomenon known as mass hysteria - against a background of conflict - could be responsible.
The Taliban has denied any involvement and said any culprits would be punished "according to the Islamic Law".
COMMENTS (41)
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@John P: Hypocrisy of Americans (if you are one). You Government is meddling in others since perhaps the start of the time
@fact: fact is what you WANT to believe it. Admit it
The current rhetoric of levying baseless allegations on the Pakistani Government and the Pakistani Establishment by the Afghanistan Government must stop. Either present facts or stay shut. These efforts are destroying the feelings of compassion and hospitality that the People of Pakistan have shown to the over 2 Million legal (and iillegal) Afghani immigrants in Pakistan. These immigrants place an unnecessary burden on Pakistan's economy, and are involved in acts of violence, drugs and weapon trade,
If such acts and defamation attempts are to continue, Pakistan should deport all of the 2M Afghani Immigrants, so that they can enjoy the better tasting "kehva" in Kabul.
Right, as if Afghanistan is full of angels.
The current Afghan government is the Indian proxy the Northern Alliance rechristened. Of course they will bark against Pakistan. The fact is 98% of so called Afghanistan army is made up of non pashtuns Northern Alliance fighters. Afghan pashtuns are Pakistan allies. Once Pashtuns are back in power in Afghanistan, Afghanistan policies towards Pakistan will change.
@Zalmai. The city I live in, Rawalpindi is Pakistan's third largest city and currently probably more afghans live in it than Pakistanis I think. We are fools destroying ourselves fighting Afghans and Arabs wars for them thinking they r our Muslim brothers. Totally regardless people.
This is another evidence that ISI is intervening illegally in the affairs of another countries.
@Batman: Oh yeah, the Indians are the cause of "ISI Paranoia" amongst Afghans. That's one thing I hadn't heard being blamed on India yet. I guess the Afghans needed the Indians to be at odds with ISI meddling in it's affairs and destructive policies towards its citizens.
@Checkmate: Afghanistan occupies the center stage in the world while Pakistan is suffering from isolation. Afghan economy, education, and every indicator of social and political development has improved in the past decade.
Do you know what "delusion" and "artificial optimism" means?
@Zalmai: Ok so whatever the number, take em ! and take em now! And take the UN $$ with you to your Country! There is not enought $$ in the entire world to pay Pak & its people back for their hospitality!
Wake up , swell the Kehwa and help the exodus!
Donkies blaming on horse riders.. haha
Like the Shanghai Conference gives a hoot about Afghans. They have no credibility. Isolated and useless is how Afghans are feeling, and they'll lash out while killing their own, like they've been doing ever since the buffer-state of Afghanistan came into being.
@Nasir: "@John P: O yea, a sovereign nation always having foreign guests." If they want foreign guests, what business is it of Pakistan/ Pakistanis to comment on their choices one way or another? Why don't you mind your own business? No one in the world wants to have anything to do with you, yet you continue to barge in anyway! Read Musthaq Ahmed's comment! @Truth: "@ John A wrong comment on a wrong page, dude when a nation sitting millions of miles away can interfere where ever they want, why cant a neighbor keep an eye on other neighbor." You have every bright "to keep an eye on your neighour" but what gives you the right to interfere?
@fact: And what is your absurd and baseless logic ?
Who did it is indeed a debatable issue, what is important is that education to girls should not be denied. I would request Islamic leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan to please issue a FATWA that any such action is ULISLAMIC. Please realise that your future depends on an educated masses.
Conspiracy theorists!
LOL............ really, Pakistan has more afghan refugees in sine Pakistan than the entire afghan population! Maybe Afghanistan's all weather friend from across the border should take them in to protect them!
pakistan has become the choicest escapegoat...
@H Chaudhry
The drugs and guns were brought by Zia Ul Haq and his foreign policy of the time. Prior to 1978 there is no history of Afghans bringing drugs and guns to Pakistan. You forget that drug laboratories are rampant in Pakistan run by Balochis way before the Afghan conflict.
@John - Lets talk about over 2 million Afghans living in Pakistan. When they go back and stop coming here, we can talk about other things.
This great myth about our agencies needs to be abolished ! What about Afghans living in Pakistan for decades, what about their corruption, what about the drugs and guns they braught here, what about them going back ?
Karazi owns home in Peshawar and Quetta, why ? Every thing that happens in Afghanistan is blamed on Pakistan, is this because we allowed millions of them to stay here and eat this land ?
John P
the same way you guys did during cold war ??
@Mushthaq Ahmed
Ditto. A sane voice coming out of the cacophony of a party made up of right wing dismissive brainwashed trolls.
Subversive elements from neighboring countries make futile attempts to subjugate the Afghan people by depriving them of education, economic progress and development.
You would think that Muslim neighbors would help rebuild Afghanistan but regional geopolitics dictate the destruction of Afghanistan.Thank God for US and NATO for curbing the ambitions of these regional spoilers.
Every Afghan I met speaks of our country with polite derision. Afghan pashtuns unlike our own have great aptitude for education. I found their women possess sound capacity for imbibing civilization which is out of bounds for us. We (our agencies) may at best play mischief and get thrashed. I heard that Saudia is handing over terror suspects to India without cross checking . If Afghan government strikes such rapport with Gulf , we will fall between two stools.
@ John
A wrong comment on a wrong page, dude when a nation sitting millions of miles away can interfere where ever they want, why cant a neighbor keep an eye on other neighbor.
“The regional spy agencies, namely ISI, are behind it. They are trying to sabotage the Shanghai Conference and the success of Afghan education,”
hahahahahahahahaha................... :) :) cannot stop laughing......this joke made my day
A cat died in Kabul, blame that also on Pakistan!
@John P: O yea, a sovereign nation always having foreign guests.
Pakistan should keep its nose out of the neighbor's business. Afghanistan is a sovereign nation and does not like any interference from across the border.
This is just the outcome of decades of ISI meddling in Afghanistan. Now it doesn't matter whether ISI was really involved or not, after all the damage Afghanistan has sustained, any bad news is blamed on ISI.
LOL!!! I thought Afghans are UMMAH brothers of Pakistanis....LOL once again to right wing Pakistanis....
@fact: and u please stop propagation, take this hatred and bias out of here
@fact: So you are telling me to live in reality. Which reality my friend that ISI is responsible for everything and please dont blame ISI that high infant birth rate in Afghanistan is also because of ISI as i think someday Afghans could blame this on ISI as well.
Extensive cooperation between Afghan Intelligence and their Indian counterparts has led to Indian disease of ISI paranoia being transfered to Afghans. Unfortunately there is no known cure for this disease at the moment. By the way, credible intelligence suggests ISI was also behind recent Floods in some parts of Afghanistan.
@Sameer: but you cannot deny truth and facts. stop living in denial again.
baseless allegations, Afghan Intelligence know nothing whats happening in their country 20 agencies are working in Afghanistan but they can only point blame where CIA tells them
Tommorow they could blame that Malaria, TB, cancer and almost every disease is introduced by them. Afghans could go too far that they could blame ISI that why Sharuti saas in star plus drama is behaving rudely is only because of ISI.