US concerned over possible "Talibanisation" of Pakistan

WASHINGTON (NNI): The United States has expressed concern over a "possible Talibanisation of Pakistan" as the vicious cocktail of terrorism, drug trafficking and human rights abuses gripping Afghanistan spills over into it placing the country "at risk".

"The US is very concerned about what is sometimes referred to as the possible Talibanisation of Pakistan and it is speaking to Pakistani leaders for some time about its concern in this direction and the Taliban regime there," US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl Inderfurth said here, reports PTI.

"All of these things will place Pakistan at risk if they are not addressed and therefore we have urged Pakistan to use its influence with the Taliban to turn these things around," he said.

Asked whether the US will stage a retaliatory strike against Afghanistan over Osama Bin Laden's alleged role in the bomb attack on the USS Cole, Inderfurth said any action on the part of Washington will come only after determining who was responsible for the attack on the warship.

"That final determination has not been made, and until it is done, we cannot judge what will be the proper US response," he said.

Inderfurth said it was not only Osama Bin Laden that the US was concerned about in Afghanistan but "the fact that terrorist training is under way there and those being trained are making their way into Central Asia, into India, into Pakistan, and Russia.