KABUL, March 6: Afghanistan on Monday called for sincere cooperation from Pakistan in the fight against Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, amid a deepening row between the neighbours over the violence.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah defended intelligence that Afghanistan handed to Pakistan last month about Taliban and Al Qaeda militants on its soil who are said to be directing a bloody insurgency here.

President Pervez Musharraf has said the information, including that which said the Taliban’s fugitive leader Mullah Omar had spent time in Pakistan, was outdated and “ridiculous”.

In an interview with CNN at the weekend, he said President Hamid Karzai was oblivious to events in his own country and said the information was nonsense”.

“Even if the information is a bit old... it still means that a problem exists,” Mr Abdullah told reporters. “The information which showed the presence of Mullah Omar or heads of Taliban itself is worthy.”

“Afghanistan and Pakistan should have a sincere and honest cooperation in fighting terrorism and it should not be on and off,” he said.

President Musharraf also told CNN there was a “very, very deliberate attempt to malign Pakistan” by some Afghan agents. In previous interviews he has alluded to the involvement of India’s intelligence agency.

Mr Abdullah said it was “blindfolding reality” to say there were certain groups in Afghanistan “behind deteriorating relations” of the neighbours.

“Afghanistan has no intent to harm Pakistan’s interests and of course hopes vice-versa from Pakistan,” he said.

Afghan officials have repeatedly accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to Taliban and Al Qaeda training facilities on Pakistani soil and also alleged that some circles in Pakistan support and finance radicals behind the insurgency in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, US President George W. Bush said during a visit to Pakistan that President Musharraf remained committed to the “war on terror” but added that more work needed to be done to defeat Al Qaeda. —AFP