Embassy of Pakistan: Response“Pakistan is still supporting Al-Qaida and Taliban"

Dear Editor,

Your online newspaper ‘Pravda.ru” of 13 May 2004 carries an article by Mr. Aloke Shekhar, titled “Who is going to cut roots of fundamentalist forces- Pakistan is still supporting Al-Qaida and Taliban.”  The contents of this article are highly objectionable, biased, one-sided and untrue.

Pakistan is an important and leading member of the anti-terror coalition and has done a commendable job in countering the menace of terrorism. This fact has also been acknowledged by the international community.

The allegations by Mr. Aloke Shekhar that Uzbek militants are being trained in Pakistan and that Pakistan has not handed over captured Uzbek militants is absolutely devoid of truth, meant only to damage Pakistan’s relations with Uzbekistan. The recent operations by Pakistan against foreign militants at Pakistan-Afghan border demonstrates that Pakistan is sincerely engaged in wiping out foreign militants from its territory. There are no training camps for foreign militants on Pakistan’s soil. Furthermore,  there is  no possibility for the  use of Pakistan’s territory for terrorism against any country and Pakistan has made fool- proof arrangements by deploying   an adequate  number of troops  on its side of the border.

The motivated   allegations to defame Pakistan’s security agency ISI have no basis either. To say that ISI is engaged in training  terrorists belonging to  international extremist organisations like IMU, Al-Qaida and Taliban, is a baseless and slanderous charge, designed to undermine Pakistan’s commendable  record in  the war against terrorism. Pakistan has never supported any terrorist organisation and is itself a victim of terrorism. To say the least, Pakistan is the frontline state in the war against terrorism and condemns it in all its forms and manifestations.  

G.H. Bajwa                                                                                  Press Counsellor of Pakistan Embassy, 
Moscow, Russian Federation