International
Pak. rejects Qanooni's charges
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, DEC. 8. Pakistan is embarrassed by allegations made in New Delhi by the Interior Minister of the new set-up in Kabul, Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, about its interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan but does not appear to be in a mood to join issue.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr. Aziz Ahmad Khan, today rejected the charge levelled by Mr. Qanooni, saying that Pakistan had made tremendous sacrifices for the Afghan people.
To a question on Mr. Qanooni's remarks, he said Pakistan had given unstinted support to Afghanistan in the past two decades. ``We have not seen the text of his remarks. We categorically reject any such allegation. Pakistan, in the past, has made tremendous sacrifices for Afghanistan, offered tremendous assistance. It became the front line state to fight against Soviet invasion, hosted 3.1 million refugees. Pakistan is home to a majority of Afghan leaders in exile.''
Mr. Khan said Pakistan had maintained contacts with both sides of the divide. ``Pakistan's record in helping Afghanistan is obvious.'' Pakistan hoped that a new era of peace would be established in Afghanistan as a result of the Bonn agreement. ``We also hope that the new regime in Afghanistan will have friendly ties with all neighbours.'' He also denied reports that Pakistan had sent a huge consignment of weapons to the Taliban on October 8.
The Press Secretary to the Pakistan President, Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, who was also present, maintained that a section of the media was carrying out malicious propaganda
against Pakistan. The New York Times had quoted some ISI officials as saying that Pakistan had sent arms to the Taliban regime as recently as October 8.
``These reports are absolutely false and incorrect.'' Gen. Qureshi said some foreign journalists were so suspicious that they had even tried to inspect the lorries that carried humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan. ``I can name the foreign journalists who inspected the trucks. They have done it at random,'' he said, adding that the Taliban and the Northern Alliance had acquired so many weapons during the Soviet occupation that they could even export them to other countries. The erstwhile Soviet Union and India supplied arms and ammunition to various groups in Afghanistan, he alleged.
Mr. Khan denied reports that the Northern Alliance had handed over 156 Pakistanis to India for interrogation. ``We have no knowledge of these reports,'' he said.
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