Islamabad continues aiding terrorists: MoI

KABUL Army was aiding 168 terrorist groups against Afghan forces.

“Pakistan has been playing a grossly destructive role in Afghanistan over the past 13 years,” alleged Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman Siddique Siddiqui at a news conference in Kabul.

He said terrorist groups openly operated in Pakistani cities and received financial and technical support from the government. He claimed Pakistan’s double game remained the main reason behind insecurity in Afghanistan.

“The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI and other terrorist groups and Pakistan has been deceiving the Afghan government and the international community.”

The MoI spokesman said Pakistan had never been loyal to any agreement and currently 168 rebel groups were active in North and South Waziristan against the Kabul administration.

He said Jandullah, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Haqqani Network and Taliban posed a big threat to Afghanistan’s security.

Siddiqui said the Pakistani army was the founder of Taliban militants and asked the international community and NATO countries to put pressure on Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists.

About recent militant attacks on Sangin, Qaisar, Ghormach, Dasht-i-Archi, Chahar Dara and Khanabad districts, the official said, “The terrorist groups are not stronger enough to face Afghan forces as witnessed in the first and second round of elections.”

“The Taliban will never succeed in their designs. They were defeated in Sangin in their biggest onslaught,” he said.

Siddiqui believed militants supported by Pakistan’s ISI wanted to take advantage of the current political tension in Afghanistan and become part of the new set up.

He said a number of families displaced by insecurity had turned to their homes after their areas were cleared from militants.

An operation was currently underway to purge insecure areas from militants over the next 72 hours, he said.

More than 40 militants had been killed in a series of operations in Kunduz, Helmand, Faryab and Nangarhar provinces last week, he said. Three policemen were also killed and five others wounded in clashes with the rebels, he added.

 “Despite the fact that the militants receive direct support from Pakistan’s ISI, they cannot disrupt security situation and Afghan forces are ready to protect the people at the cost of their lives,” he said.

Siddique said releasing hardcore militants was another factor contributing to insecurity because some Taliban commanders had rejoined the battlefield after their release from jails.

mds/ma

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