Taliban are threat to Pakistan: Inderfurth

ISLAMABAD(NNI): The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Karl Inderfurth Friday said that Taliban are not only threat to others but to Pakistan as well.

'"Unfortunately, Taliban's actions since taking control of most of the country, we believe is now not only threatening to others, but to Pakistan itself. And there is a concern about what is called the Talebanization, or making more radical, Pakistan itself." Inderfurth told Voice of America.

He said that the United States has urged Pakistan to use its influence on the Taliban to try to move it to the negotiating table for a negotiated settlement of the conflict, away from harboring terrorists, away from profiting from narcotics, and certainly away from its treatment, its present harsh and abominable treatment, of women.

"The Islam that is practiced by Pakistan is not that which is practiced in Afghanistan. There is a difference between militant Islam and moderate Islam. And what our concerns are, quite frankly, have little to do with Islam or the Afghan people, both of which we honor and respect. It has to do with the pollicies and practices of the Taliban."

Inderfuth said that Afghanistan has been a country of concern to Pakistan for a long time. They are neighbors; they have a very long border. Pakistan is rightfully concerned about stability on its northern border. "

We don't dispute that Pakistan has supported the Taliban. It is one of only three countries in the world that has officially endorsed and supported the Taliban. We believe that many of those that are now in positions in the Taliban have received their religious training in the madrassahs in Pakistan. This group, the Taliban, came to power promising order and stability, which is something that Pakistan wanted to see."

He said that Taliban are profiting from the drug trade; they are not actually growing the poppy, but they are profiting from it. And on terrorism, they have provided safe haven to bin Laden, who, as you know, the United States and the international community through the United Nations, believes should be brought to justice for actions he has taken, including against American citizens when US embassies were bombed in east Africa. And of course, many other innocents died, including several hundred Africans in this terrorist attack.

"We have made the request. We have given the Taliban the indictment, the very long indictment of bin Laden. And they say they cannot release him or will not expel him because he is a guest, because he was a part of that jihad against the Soviet occupation, which, of course, the United States also assisted through material assistance, and others in the region, including Pakistan.

They say that he is a guest, an honored guest, because of his role then. We tell the Taliban that he is not an honored guest any longer, that he is dishonoring Afghanistan because he is someone who has murdered innocent people, which is against the Holy Quran, which is against all religions, and therefore he is dishonoring Afghanistan and should be expelled. Unfortunately, they have not taken that action."