August 11, 2008	Monday	Sha’aban 8, 1429

KABUL, Aug 10: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday urged his western military allies to change their strategy in the war on terror and instead target extremist hideouts in neighbouring Pakistan.

Karzai reiterated allegations that Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked militants are operating training camps in Pakistan from where they are launching attacks on targets in Afghanistan.

“The strategy in the war on terrorism must be changed. The world must focus on terrorist bases, hideouts and training camps,” he told journalists in his fortified palace in Kabul.

Karzai accused the world community of not listening to his warnings over Pakistan’s involvement in the insurgency in the past.

“It’s still not too late. If the international community focuses on the terrorists’ bases, hideouts and places where they are being trained and financed the problem is going to be solved,” he added.

He said Pakistan’s intelligence services “should give up hopes to have a puppet government” in Kabul.

“Our call on friendly Pakistan, its intelligence agency and military is to abandon the hope to have a puppet government in Afghanistan.”

“The war on terrorism is not in Afghan villages,” Karzai said. “Therefore, the use of air force in the war against terrorism in the Afghan villages will have no result but causing civilian casualties.”—AFP