Pakistan hits out at Gen. Karimi’s remarks

KABUL and could end the 12-year conflict within weeks if it was really committed to peace as yet another attempt to malign the country.

In an interview with the BBC, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Sher Mohammad Karimi said Pakistan could end the Afghan war in weeks if it was really serious about supporting the Afghan peace process.

Pakistan had closed down religious schools and had unleashed the Taliban on Afghanistan, he alleged, claiming: “The Taliban are under their control.”

In an angry reaction to Gen. Karimi’s statement, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said: “Pakistan has exercised extreme restraint in the face of highly provocative language used by Afghan civil and military officials over the last few months, not to mention some totally fabricated accusations.”

But Pakistan would not be deterred in its efforts to support international efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said, accusing elements in the Afghan government of insincerity.

It added: “We would, however, hope the Afghan officials would refrain from levelling baseless allegations and work towards creating a conducive environment that helps advance the shared objectives of peace, stability and prosperity.”

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