LAHORE, Oct 17: ANP Senior Vice-President Ehsan Wyne holds the Taliban government and Osama bin Laden responsible for the killings of innocent people as a result of US attacks on Afghanistan.

In a statement here on Wednesday, he said his party also condemned the American attacks because they were avoidable.

Mr Wyne said the Saudi dissident was more responsible for the situation in Afghanistan than anybody else as he had not left the country despite a recommendation by the religious leaders there.

Osama, the ANP leader said, had no right to stay in Afghanistan and bring destruction to the already war-ravaged country. He alleged that policies followed by the Taliban government were promoting terrorism.

Mr Wyne said President Musharraf had adopted a nationalist policy at present to save the country and it was for this reason that the ANP was supporting it. This policy, he said, had saved the country from being isolated at the international level.

The ANP leader said the crisis in Afghanistan could be resolved only with the establishment of a broad-based government in the country. Such a government should represent all ethnic entities of Afghanistan. However, he said, religion should not be made a basis for representation.

Mr Wyne said former king Zahir Shah should call a Loya Jirga to work out details of the new setup. He said the former monarch should not himself become ruler.

The ANP leader said the US and European countries should extend generous economic assistance to Pakistan. — Staff Reporter