14 July 2004	Wednesday	25 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KABUL, July 13: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected concerns shown by the Afghan government that Islamabad had failed to eliminate terrorism from its soil and was supporting terrorist networks.

"Terrorists are our common enemy, therefore, Pakistan is doing its best to root out terrorism from its soil and is certainly not supporting terrorists and their organizations," Federal Interior Minister told Dawn.

"We have informed the Afghan leaders that Pakistan has made major dents in terrorist networks and the Wana operation is one of the examples of Pakistan's commitment to eliminate terrorism."

Informed sources told Dawn that Afghan President Hamid Karzai who met interior minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, had expressed displeasure over terrorist activities both in Pakistan and Afghnaistan and held the Government of Pakistan responsible for increasing terrorist activities in border areas.

President Karzai had also expressed dissatisfaction over military operation in Wana saying the "desired results" in Wana were yet to be achieved, the sources said. At a luncheon hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan in honour of visiting delegation of the interior ministry, the former President of Afghanistan, Sibghatullah Mujaddadi, told Dawn that he was not satisfied with the measures taken by Pakistan in eradication of terrorism.

"I am a very state forward man and I must say that Islamabad can stop terrorism not only in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan within no time if it wanted. I have many reasons to believe that Pakistan has been supporting terrorists but these reasons I cannot state at this moment," he said.

However, National Security Adviser to Afghan Government Zalm-i-Rasool, Commander of Police Academy Gen Naimee and Director of Counter Narcotics Police General Aziz in their separate meetings with the delegation of the Pakistan interior ministry expressed satisfaction over efforts so far made by Pakistan in destroying terrorist networks.

During briefings at Afghanistan Counter Narcotics Police Headquarters and Police Academy, officials of the two sides renewed their pledge to curb terrorism and drug trafficking in their countries through exemplary cooperation.

It was informed in the briefings that terrorists were being funded by drug barons through poppy cultivation and manufacturing of illicit drugs in areas situated along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Speaking on this occasion, Afghanistan Director of Counter-Narcotics Gen Aziz highlighted the working of his department and vowed to make allout efforts in this joint fight against common enemy (terrorism/drug traffickers).

On his part, Pakistan interior minister informed the Afghan authorities that Pakistan had emerged as the first country in the region in drug seizures and stood second in the world after Iran.

He said both Pakistan and Afghnaistan were victims of terrorism and international crimes. He expressed concern over huge poppy cultivation in a vast area of Afghanistan and asked the Afghan authorities to take concrete measures to curb this menace. Mr Faisal was of the view that without establishing a comprehensive security cover and law-enforcement, there would be no stability in Afghanistan.

The minister called for integrated efforts to fight the menace of drugs and urged the world community to extend maximum possible help to Pakistan and Afghanistan since the menace, if not checked now, could spread to the whole world.

Mr Faisal extended Pakistan's allout support to the Afghan government in giving latest training to their officials saying Pakistan had modern training centres to equip Afghan officials with knowledge to give a befitting response to the terrorists.