Pakistani agreement has increased attacks in Afghanistan

Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa
Published: Saturday September 30, 2006

Kabul- Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday stated that Pakistan's agreement reached with pro-Taliban Pakistani rebels has caused "more attacks" in Afghanistan. "We did get a very categorical assurance that (Pakistan) would move against all extremist, terrorist elements," Karzai told reporters in Kabul.

"The agreement (Pakistan) has signed in Waziristan has not been fruitful in Afghanistan so far, there have been more attacks on our people near that region (bordering Pakistan) after that agreement," Karzai said.

A "peace deal" was signed by the Pakistani government on September 5 with pro-Taliban insurgents in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal belt area bordering Afghanistan with the intention of curbing militant activity both in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In a press conference on Wednesday, a US military spokesman also said the ceasefire has given the Taliban free rein to use the North Waziristan border area as a command-and-control hub for attacks in Afghanistan.

Karzai's comments came just 4 hours after a suicide bomb attack killed 12 and injured 42 others including two high ranking police officials near the entrance of the Interior Ministry in Kabul.

Karzai, who had returned from an 11-day trip to the United States and Canada meeting with US President George W Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharfaf to agree to a joint series of tribal gatherings between tribal leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to quell militancy along the border.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa