Karzai Says 'Pakistani Circles' Protecting Insurgents

Karzai Says 'Pakistani Circles' Protecting Insurgents

January 21, 2007 -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai today accused "certain Pakistani circles" of protecting insurgents fighting in Afghanistan.

Karzai made the accusation at the opening of a new session of the Afghan parliament.

Strong Statement

"The enemies of Afghanistan's independence and interests continue their interference in our internal affairs," Karzai said. "They derive terrorist groups from international terrorist networks with the support of some particular Pakistani circles, killing our scholars, children, teachers and other government officials in a merciless campaign."

Karzai also said drugs and corruption in his government were contributing to the violence. He added that the danger from the insurgency and drugs would intensify in the coming year, and called on people to rally to the defense of the nation.

Karzai did not elaborate on the identity of the "Pakistani circles."

Intelligence Blamed Too

Separately, "The New York Times" today quoted unnamed Western diplomats and Pakistani opposition figures as saying that Pakistani intelligence agencies, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence and Military Intelligence, have been supporting a comeback by the Taliban.

The newspaper wrote that two weeks of reporting along the Pakistan-Afghan border uncovered "many signs that Pakistani authorities are encouraging the insurgents, if not sponsoring them."

The Pakistani government has strongly denied such allegations.

(compiled from agency reports)

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