April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

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NEW YORK, April 7: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram on Saturday rejected accusations by some people “in Washington and Kabul” that Islamabad was providing sanctuaries to Taliban militants, saying “creating a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan is as much in the interest of Pakistan as of the United States and the Afghans themselves”.

In an op-ed article in Saturday's New York Times, Mr Akram observed that “the cooperative framework that has been established by Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US, NATO and the international community will be vital for success."

“But we must ensure that bond is not eroded by mutual recrimination or frustration with occasional setbacks,” he added

Declaring that “Al Qaeda ... will ... not be allowed to regroup on our soil”, Pakistan’s chief delegate at the United Nations pointed out that the country had “lost some 700 soldiers (and suffered) several suicide attacks against our leaders, our security forces and civilian targets.”

Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to control its difficult 1,500-mile border with Afghanistan, Mr Akram noted that “80,000 Pakistani troops are deployed in tribal areas and ... 1,000 border posts have been established. ... We are also starting stricter measures to regulate legal border traffic between Pakistan and Afghanistan...”

“Winning the hearts and minds of the people is even more important than killing or capturing insurgents ... Military tactics that cause collateral civilian casualties and damage property may kill 10 terrorists, but they will create 100 more.”

“Most important, no strategy will succeed without accelerated reconstruction and economic development. It must offer hope to the people — hope for peace, jobs and better lives for themselves and their children.”

“Thus any strategy for stabilisation in Afghanistan’s south and southeast must go hand-in-hand with efforts in Pakistan’s frontier region. Contrary to criticisms from some in Kabul and Washington, Pakistan has made significant contributions to such stabilization,” Mr Akram stressed.

Responding to reports that Pakistan was tacitly supporting Taliban, Mr Akram stated “Pakistan will act shortly to remove any last basis for allegations about so-called ‘sanctuaries’ and ‘safe havens’ for the Taliban in Pakistan.”

He observed that “after crossing into Pakistan, Taliban elements often merge into the large population at camps for Afghan refugees. It is difficult to distinguish Taliban militants from (other) ... Afghans. It is mostly in these camps that the Taliban finds recruits”.

“To resolve this problem,” Mr Akram said “we have reached an agreement with the Afghan government to move four large camps — Pir Alizai and Gidri Jungle in Balochistan, and Jallozai and Kachi Garhi in the NWFP — to Afghanistan. Pakistan will also repatriate the last of the three million Afghan refugees ... within the next three years.”

Mr Akram stressed that “the control of the border is a joint responsibility of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the international coalition forces. The onus cannot be placed on Pakistan alone.”

“Pakistan has a comprehensive strategy to promote peace and progress in our frontier regions. The objective is to win over the local population and to isolate the militant,” Mr Akram said.

“We are committed to eliminating the (Taliban) influence. This is essential for Pakistan’s goals of rapid modernisation and increased trade and energy links with Central Asia.”