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K J M Varma in Islamabad
Afghanistan's ruling Taleban has accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of pushing the United States to destroy the militia and said Pakistan changed its Afghan policy under American pressure.
Asking Blair to be aware of the consequences of war, Taleban Ambassador to Pakistan Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef said, "Blair is encouraging the Americans to go to war."
"Why is Blair trying such things? He should try for negotiations," Zaeef told reporters on Friday night.
Denying that there were any meetings between Taleban officials and British diplomats during Blair's Pakistan visit, he said, "We have no message for him (Blair). Had he come for negotiations, we would have liked to have said something."
Asked whether the Taleban would request Pakistan to share the evidence provided by the US to prove Osama bin Laden's involvement in the terror attacks, he said, "There is no need. If the US doesn't want to give proof to us, we will not ask for it."
Zaeef said, "Osama is just an excuse to attack Afghanistan. They, in fact, want to attack Islam."
When asked why the Taleban was sheltering Osama bin Laden, he said, "Osama is a Muslim. He belongs to an Islamic country."
On why the Afghan militia was not asking other former mujahideen leaders to join the fight against America, Zaeef said, "They are Muslims and should themselves come forward and join the Taleban forces."
Meanwhile, Taleban's Education Minister Mullah Aamir Khan Muttaqu said Musharraf's comments that the militia's days were numbered were uncalled for.
"We realise that Pakistan changed its Afghan policy under pressure from the US," he told Pakistan daily The News.
"But we did not expect the Pakistan government to start a propaganda against the Taleban after remaining our friend for years," he said.
PTI
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