General Sher Mohammad Karimi PHOTO: REUTERS
KABUL: Pakistan is complicit in US drone strikes despite its denunciations of the anti-militant campaign, Afghanistan's army chief says.
In a BBC interview broadcast Wednesday, General Sher Mohammad Karimi said "US has not started drone attacks on their own," arguing that Islamabad had "given the lists" of militants it wants taken out.
"The drones are used against those Taliban who are part of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The drones are never used against Haqqani or Afghan Taliban," he said, in reference to one of the most feared Afghan insurgent groups.
"That's why that's one of the issues when I'm saying that the peace to Afghanistan can come if us and Pakistan both will desire to have peace. Peace is in the hands of the US and Pakistan. And Afghanistan."
The army chief further said Pakistan could end the Afghan war "in weeks" if it were serious about peace.
Karimi laid bare the mistrust between Kabul and Islamabad as US-led troops wind down more than a decade of war against Taliban and other insurgents.
By closing down madrassa schools that serve as incubators of extremism, Pakistan had "unleashed" the Taliban on Afghanistan today, the chief of staff of the Afghan National Army said.
"Yes, it will be done in weeks," Karimi said when asked if Pakistan could end the Taliban's fight against the Kabul government if it wanted.
He said "the Taliban are under their control" and Pakistan could do far more to promote a nascent peace process.
"Now Pakistan is suffering internally from terrorists as much as I do. We can both do together to fight this menace provided that (everyone is) sincere in what they're doing," Karimi said in the interview, which was recorded in Kabul on Saturday.
Pakistan was the prime foreign backer of the Taliban's 1996-2001 government and some of the movement's top leaders are believed to live in Quetta.
In the past decade, Pakistan has seen the emergence of its own Taliban movement that has claimed thousands of lives in a campaign of terror.
The search for a peace deal in Afghanistan is now an urgent priority as 100,000 US-led Nato combat troops prepare to withdraw next year and Afghan forces take on the fight against insurgents.
After weekend talks with Britain's visiting leader David Cameron, new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spoke of his government's "firm resolve to promote the shared objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan".
But Afghan President Hamid Karzai has long decried what he sees as Pakistan’s double-dealing designed to bring about a friendly regime in Kabul.
COMMENTS (29)
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@Unbelievable.: But isn't Afghanistan already a slave state of the Indians? That's why Afghanis always parrot whatever they are told by their Indian masters and use Afghanistan as a base to brew up troubles in Pakistan. If the drones are eliminating criminals who harm innocent people on either side of the border, both Pakistan and Afghanistan should welcome the drones and ask for more drone strikes to root out the cowards who attack civilians in the name of faith!
if taliban were under Pakistani control whey they had not handedover Osama to USA on Pakistani request???
the latest drone-militants killed 4 policemen in Miranshah.Cordinates provided to drones by affected police and agencies;17 militants killed within 2 days in mIranshah
This war was solely started on the plea of God's Help. Every body knew and continues to know that technology wise there is no match between Muslims and their brutal enemies. If Mujahideen stick to the teachings of Islam in War and continue seeking the Allah's help, they will ultimately succeed, no matter how deadly the technology is (as Allah Almighty is the REAL POWER)
@Candid1: well sad,this is the need of the hour.close all bordrer with Afghanistan.like once Japan did.(closed all contact with the others)wish some one from govt or armed forces start thinking on this line.
@Lala Gee
Because Pakistan wants a slave rather than a friend. I might add that Afghanistan isn't the country that is providing shelter, training, intel, arms, and personnel to militants who are attacking it's neighbor - and Afghanistan isn't trying to dictate which countries Pakistan can do business with.
TRUTH hurts. The criminal silence of Military and Govt. endorses the general's claim. Drones are fying in Pakistani airspace. Some one in Pindi is giving them clearence to fly and murder Pakistanis. If not then why dont the airforce intercept them. Shame on Nawaz and Shame on Kiyani.
@Lala Gee: There's something pervert about your logic (if it is indeed a logic!). The General explained that Pakistan is not sincere and, as the rest of the world says, Pakistan lives in denial and deceit. How can anyone become "friends" with such a country? It's like living with a snake in the same room, knowing well that the poisonous fangs will sooner or later backbite you.
The day general and his other brothers will stop sitting in India,s lap peace will come in Afghanistan. Its in their and our interest that the proxy stops. Every action has a reaction. They provide support to people who hurt our state and we do the same.
@Khan Gul: "A Kazmi with relatives in Waziristan" Khan Sahib, "THOSE RELATIVES" no more need enemies :-)))). Becuase KAZMI the RELATIVE is enough :-)))
Afghanis give to US co-ordinates of Afghan Taliban and Pakistan gives to US co-ordinates of Pakistan Taliban ( TTP ) and provide protection to Afghan Taliban. Who does not know it ?
"But Afghan President Hamid Karzai has long decried what he sees as Pakistan’s double-dealing designed to bring about a friendly regime in Kabul."
Why don't you become friendly with Pakistan, so we don't need Taliban anymore. Isn't this the quickest and easiest way to solve your problems? However, the only catch though is to act honestly on this saying, "Friend's enemies are my enemy", nothing else.
I@Khan Gul: He is talking about his army relatives. akalmand.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf mentioned in his book "Line of Fire"........ Pakistan had captured 689 Al Qaeda members and handed over 369 of them to the US, the president notes on page 237 of the first edition: "We have earned bounties totalling millions of dollars. Those who habitually accuse us of 'not doing enough' in the war on terror should simply ask the CIA how much prize money it has paid to the government of Pakistan."
In the Urdu edition, the reference to having "earned bounties totalling millions of dollars" and prize money was dropped.
@Imran Kazmi: I have relatives posted in Waziristan who themselves give coordinates to US to do drone strikes
Its all about money, each drone hit get some Pakistanis lot of money. Missile makers are getting rich. US taxpayers are the only ones getting screwed.
@khan Sahib: The General wouldn't recognise the truth if it slapped him in the face.
Yesterday this guy Karimi told the BBC that Pakistan controls the Taliban and can stop the war in weeks. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23152159 Today this nutter is saying that Pakistan is actually targeting the Taliban with the help of the US. The guys in power in Kabul keep spewing hot air. What is is it? What are you trying to say? Some consistency please! These guys are not interested in ending anything - Afghanistan is a lucrative business for Karzai and his henchmen.
The Afghan General is speaking the truth. We must accept and have courage to endorse it. But alas we are not brave a nation and not even a nation.
Nhooooooooo !
@Khan Gul: By the way, he said, relatives posted in waziristan, this is possible.
The General makes sense, much more than those from our side.
According to the Afghans Pakistan was supporting extremism by not closing down the madrassas that give birth to the Taliban, but now that it has closed them they are accusing Pakistan of unleashing the Taliban against Afghanistan. I am so sick and tired of Afghan irrationality that I wish the government would just forcibly expel the 3 million or so Afghan refugees, and build a wall like the Great Wall of China on the border with Afghanistan so that we can live in peace, and the Afghans can do whatever they want on their side.
"Peace is in the hands of the US and Pakistan. And Afghanistan.” - General, you forgot India!! They have done massive investment in your country.
A sensible thing done by Pakistan. If drones are effective, then why not??
A Kazmi with relatives in Waziristan. That is interesting.
call it a game of chess. Check-mate...
Drones are attack on Pak's soverignity ... (in Afghan land).
Nothin new over here. I have relatives posted in Waziristan who themselves give coordinates to US to do drone strikes. I think our establishment should man up and openly state their policy of using drones instead of fearing God knows what
If pakistan has given them Hit List of TTP members, why are Drones attacking Haqqanis?