Influx of refugees feared
Pak envoys called to discuss Afghan curbs
Fakhar-ur-Rehman
Frontier Post
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has called its ambassadors from the neighboring countries of Afghanistan, the United States and France to prepare a strategy for dealing with the situation, which will emerge when the new sanctions against Afghanistan will come in to effect from 19 January, sources told The Frontier Post on Tuesday.

They said that the main purpose behind summoning the envoys from Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan was to evolve a strategy for facing the situation, which is anticipated when the new curbs on Afghanistan will actually come into force.

The sources said that though Pakistan would comply with the UN sanctions against Kabul.

However, it will not ask Taliban to make cut in its diplomatic corps as it is already less in number, even not enough to fulfil the responsibilities with regard to the Afghan refugees, who are continuing to arrive due to drought and severe cold.

" Already there are two million refugees and more are on their way.

How, we will cope with the needs with resources at hand in dearth" remarked a senior official.

The sources said a comprehensive report would be formulated which will be submitted to the Chief Executive by the Foreign Minister.

Pakistan will also put its position before the United Nations Security Council in view of the UN Charter.

On the other hand, diplomatic sources expressed possibility of the Afghan Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawwakkil visit to Islamabad to discuss the Pak- Afghan ties in the context of the new sanctions.

Pakistan had described the sanction unjust and one-sided.

Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar had said, " the sanctions will aggravate the sufferings of the Afghans and cause problems to Pakistan as well".

The sources further said that as the sanction would get in to effect, the civil war between the Taliban and Northern Alliance would intensify.

It may be mentioned here that the stage is already set for a conference of religio-political parties today at Akora Khattak to chalk out joint strategy for countering the US policies against Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

Chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Maulana Samiul Haq has convened the conference to what he called working out possible 'counter actions' against the United States for imposition of curbs on Taliban.