- Atlanta - Boston - Chicago - DC Area - Houston - Jersey Area - Los Angeles - New York - SF Bay Area
- Earlier editions
- Astrology - Cricket - Money - Movies - Women - India News - US News
Top Taleban military commander Maulana Jalaluddin Haqqani on Sunday denied that he had discussed with Pakistani officials and anti-Taleban leaders formation of a caretaker or broad-based government in Afghanistan.
Haqqani also denied reports, which claimed rifts within the rank and file of the Taleban, according to a press release by the Afghanistan Defence Council in Islamabad.
"Being a responsible official of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, I reject all these reports that the Western media has started spreading about my role during the last few days," he told the council chairman Maulana Sami-ul-Haq.
"There is complete unity and harmony in the ranks and file of the Afghans and we are all set to bury the designs of the United States under the lofty mountains of our country," he added.
"We are in high spirits. We are grateful to all peace loving people including Pakistani brethren who left no stone unturned in sparing themselves to provide all kind of cooperation with the oppressed Afghans. The demonstrations that are being staged from east to west are reflective of love that people have towards the Taleban," Haqqani was quoted as saying.
Haqqani's presence in Islamabad sparked speculation that he was interested in joining the alternative broad-based government being contemplated by the United Nations and US in consultation with Pakistan and various Afghan groups and former Afghan King Zahir Shah.
On Saturday, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan had told reporters that Haqqani was in Islamabad few days ago to discuss the arrangements to form a broad-based government in Afghanistan.
Khan said Haqqani, who is also the Taleban Minister for Frontier Regions, visited Pakistan to meet members of the Afghan community in Pakistan.
Haq, with whom Haqqani had a meeting on Sunday, is one of the faction leaders of the pro-Taleban Jamiat Ulema-e-Islama (JUI), which spearheaded the agitation against the Pakistan government's decision to support US military strikes in Afghanistan.
PTI
The War on Terrorism: The Complete Coverage
The Terrorism Weblog: Latest Stories from Around the World
External Link: For further coverage, please visit www.saja.org/roundupsept11.html
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
