Author:
Publication: Rediff
Date: November 7, 2000
The United States has
charged Pakistan with militarily aiding Afghanistan's Taleban in the militia's
fight against rival factions in the country, and vowed to seek international
support, including that of India and Russia, in containing global terrorism.
"Information about the
military involvement of Pakistan with Afghanistan has come to our attention,
it has come to Russian attention, we have talked to Pakistan about it.
Pakistan is swift in its denial of that involvement, but we believe it
continues to be true," US Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering told
the Voice of America.
He said the US would
enlist support of countries including India and Russia to curb the menace
of terrorism which, he claimed, was targeting Americans.
"The battle has come
against us and in that battle we are prepared to go and work with whoever
it is prepared to help in the fight, whether it is Russia or Pakistan,
or India or Saudi Arabia or whoever," he said.
He expressed concern
that in Pakistan's present "weakened condition," the Taleban is gaining
influence in Pakistani madrasas (educational institutions) where poor children
are turned into jihadis or holy warriors to fight in wars ranging from
Kashmir to Central Asian states and Chechnya.
Pickering asked Pakistan
to consider whether what it is doing with the Taleban in Afghanistan and
permitting the Taleban to do in Pakistan is in its national interest.
"The sense that I have
is that Pakistan should decide, and we have talked extensively with it,
about whether it should support a regime which harbours terrorists," Pickering
said.
