About 60 Pashtun tribal elders from Pakistan’s tribal regions met Afghan authorities in Jalalabad on Tuesday to discuss how to bring security to the border region, according to the US-run and financed Radio Free Europe. Led by Abdul Sabor Afridi, the delegates suggested that President Hamid Karzai and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan had put too much trust in Pakistan. Afridi said Karzai and NATO officials should be talking one-to-one to Pashtun tribal leaders in Pakistan instead of relying on Islamabad. “People in the border areas have sent their proposals to President Karzai and other leaders several times in the past,” Afridi told Radio Free Europe. “We are saying that the policy of the foreigners - even the international alliance - is not right. This conflict cannot be resolved through military operations or by militants.”
Afridi said he is angered by reports suggesting that Pashtun tribes in Pakistan’s border areas have been sheltering Taliban and Qaeda fighters. “We are not giving safe haven to the enemies of Afghanistan or to the enemies of the international community,” Afridi said. “We have evidence of this. | "It is true that terrorists are active along the border and in the tribal regions. But they do not have links with local tribal men. They are either with the militant armed groups or with (ISI)." |
It is clear. And we have evidence that these terrorists and militants are getting help from PakistanÂ’s military and intelligence services to create training centres. They protect them and give them safe haven. They are protecting them. It is true that terrorists are active along the border and in the tribal regions. | In the end, we will ask the international community to send NATO soldiers. The Pakistani soldiers are causing problems for us. TheyÂ’ve destroyed our tribal systems. TheyÂ’ve created armed groups among us. |
But they do not have links with local tribal men. They are either with the militant armed groups or with (ISI).”
Afridi said, “We want the international community to come to us and protect us - send us soldiers - NATO soldiers. We are under tough pressure from Pakistani forces. In the end, we will ask the international community to send NATO soldiers. The Pakistani soldiers are causing problems for us. They’ve destroyed our tribal systems. They’ve created armed groups among us. Now we have blood in the Kyber Agency, an area that once was very safe. Muslims are being killed and hundreds of houses have been destroyed.” |