Islamabad, Aug. 6 (ANI): Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that elements of the Afghan Government are possibly supporting a senior Pakistani Taliban leader who is intent on overthrowing the government in Islamabad.
According to Pakistani officials, Taliban commander Fazlullah has been orchestrating raids on Pakistani security forces from Afghanistan, to where he fled several years ago after a Pakistani army offensive on his Swat Valley stronghold, reports The Dawn.
"I think some of the elements (of the Afghan government) are supporters. Maybe state actors, maybe non-state actors," Malik said.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on Afghanistan to hunt down Fazlullah, whose fighters cross the border in their hundreds, set up ambushes and attack army checkpoints.
Fazlullah, who in his heyday was known as 'FM Mullah', for his fiery radio speeches broadcast in Swat, has re-emerged as a major security headache for Pakistan's military.
"He is as dangerous (for Pakistan) as the Haqqanis are dangerous for Afghanistan. He is energising terrorism now. He is recruiting people, he is planning. I appeal to Afghanistan to look into it and make sure (his) people don't come to us," said Malik.
Afghanistan, however, has denied the allegations, terming them "baseless".
"These comments made by the Pakistani interior minister are irresponsible and a baseless allegation. Afghanistan has been under attacks from safe havens of insurgents inside Pakistan, and we are quite sure that Mullah Fazlullah is somewhere in Pakistan," said Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.
In June, about 100 militants loyal to Fazlullah sneaked across the border and ambushed Pakistani troops. The fighters later released a video of what they said were the heads of 17 ambushed soldiers. (ANI)
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