Pak. worried over fall of Mazar-e-Sharif

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, NOV. 10. Pakistan is concerned over reports about the advances made by the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan with ample help from the United States-led military alliance.

A spokesman of the Pakistan Foreign Office sought to make out that the capture of Mazar-e-Sharif by Northern Alliance forces would not ``influence'' the situation in Afghanistan and the proposed political set-up which would replace the Taliban.

But Islamabad is worried over the prospect of the Alliance taking over territories under the control of Taliban and believes it would not help bring about the much-needed peace and stability in that country. Right from the day the U.S. launched its military offensive, Pakistan has been trying to impress upon the U.S. and its allies not to facilitate any particular group or faction capture Kabul.

Islamabad is of the view that allowing the Alliance to capture power is a sure recipe for ``disaster and continuation of the civil war'' in the country.

The theme song of Islamabad in the last few days has been the need for establishment of a ``broad-based'' political set-up in Kabul. The Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, made out a strong case for a multi-ethnic and broad-based government in Kabul before every world leader who came here in the last few days.

At one stage he even succeeded in selling the idea of the inclusion of a ``moderate Taliban'' in the broad-based set-up. But it failed to make any progress as the expected defections in the Taliban never came about and Washington had little option but to extend whole-hearted support to the Northern Alliance.

Islamabad can be expected to step up its efforts to cobble up an acceptable political alternative to take the place of the Taliban as and when it decides to retreat from Kabul.

Afghan consulate closed

AP reports:

Afghanistan's consulate in the port city of Karachi was formally shut today in the latest Pakistani move against the Taliban movement.

Pakistan is the only country that maintains diplomatic relations with the Taliban. But in the past week, it ordered the consulate in Karachi closed and told the Taliban Ambassador, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, to stop holding his almost daily press conferences at the embassy here.

The Taliban still have diplomatic missions in the western Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta.

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Section  : International
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