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Pakistan hits out at Afghan government

24/07/2008

Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has criticised the Afghan government's stance on security over their mutual border.

Taliban-supporting militants are widely known to retreat across the Pakistani-Afghan border to safe havens in the former's federally administered tribal areas (Fata).

Around 40,000 crossings take place each day and Pakistan today indicated its growing frustration with efforts to tackle the problem by Hamid Karzai's government in Kabul.

"We feel that the effort on the other side is somewhat lacking," Mr Qureshi told an audience at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London on his first official visit to Britain.

"We cannot do it alone. The government of Afghanistan has to be equally supportive."

There are nearly 1,000 checkpoints on the Pakistani side of the border but not even 100 on the Afghan side, he pointed out.

Mr Qureshi said Pakistan's support for the introduction of biometric ID cards had been met with reluctance by Kabul and that proposals for the use of stickers on vehicles had also been met with doubts.

He added: "It deeply hurts us when there are accusatory statements from Afghanistan that we are endangering their security."

There are 100,000 Pakistani troops in the border region which Afghanistan has voiced concerns over. The bulk of pressure on their role comes from the international community, however, with most suspecting Islamabad of reluctance to tackle the issue.

Fraser Nelson in this week's Spectator even accused the Pakistani government of engaging in a "dangerous double game" on the issue, suggesting many believe the Pakistani government, army and intelligence services all have their own reasons for prevaricating.

Mr Qureshi addressed such concerns head on. "Begin to trust us. Believe what we're saying," he said.

"This menace of terrorism is our concern as much as it is yours. We are concerned and very serious in dealing with this extremist terrorist element.

But he added: "The elected government feels that the military option is not the only option that should be exercised."