ISLAMABAD, 23 May 2006 — Pakistan has proposed regular meetings between the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan to remove misunderstandings that have cropped up since the Taleban intensified their insurgency inside Afghanistan.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told newsmen during the weekly briefing yesterday that whatever was happening in Afghanistan was the internal affairs of that country. “Pakistan should not be blamed for attacks by the Taleban,” she said.
She said Pakistan was facing numerous problems in its tribal region in the wake of insurgency mounted by suspected Taleban and it has not only beefed up its own security but sends regular reports to Afghanistan and the United States.
She said those accusing Pakistan of harboring Taleban or Afghan rebels should provide evidence to prove their allegations.
“Afghan forces have not been able to suppress the insurgency and in order to cover up their shortcomings they have started blaming Pakistan which is very unfortunate”, she said. Tasnim said Pakistan had extended all possible help to Afghanistan to fight the insurgents, but unfortunately, the Afghan government has lost control in certain provinces that do not border Pakistan.
New NWFP Governor Named
Retired Lt. Gen. Ali Jan Orakhzai has been named the new governor of the North West Frontier Province after Gov. Khalilur Rahman resigned from his post amid speculation he failed to defeat militancy.
An aide to the former governor said on Sunday Rahman handed in his resignation at a meeting in Islamabad that President Gen. Pervez Musharraf chaired to discuss security in the tribal areas. In recent months, local tribal militants have been blamed for a rise in attacks on security forces in the NWFP.
