UPDATED ON:
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
15:57 Mecca time, 12:57 GMT
 
News CENTRAL/S. ASIA
Kabul to boycott Pakistan meetings
Karzai directly accused the ISI of a role in
a series of attacks in Afghanistan [AFP]

Afghanistan has announced it will boycott a series of meetings with Pakistan, in response to attacks it blames on its neighbour's spy agency, unless "bilateral trust" can be restored.

The cabinet decision, reported on Tuesday, follows comments by Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, who accused Pakistan's secret service of being behind a series of recent attacks.

Karzai directly accused Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of a role in a series of deadly attacks, including the bombing of the Indian embassy last week.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied accusations of involvement in the wave of violence in Afghanistan.

It accuses Kabul of attempting to defer its own responsibilities to combat the causes of Taliban-related violence.

In Islamabad on Monday, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Pakistan's defence minister, rejected the charge that the ISI was involved in the Indian embassy bombing.

But a statement from Afghanistan's cabinet echoed Karzai's accusations.

"The people of Afghanistan, the world, know very well that Pakistan's intelligence agency and military have turned that country to the biggest exporter of terrorism and extremism to the world, particularly Afghanistan," the statement said.

James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul, said: "This is the strongest statement we have ever seen from Afghan cabinet. It's not just words, it's actions. They are saying they are going to boycott three bilateral meetings - one of which is particlularly key because it is about the border."

The cabinet decision came as a protest to what it called "direct interference in its [Afghanistan's] internal affairs".

"Every day and all over our country, children, women, clerics, teachers, as well as international workers in Afghanistan ... are killed and wounded and disabled," the Afghan statement said.

Further strain

The Afghan government's move is likely to further strain relations between the two countries, whose shared border has become a safe heaven for the Taliban, al-Qaeda and fighters from other armed groups.

"I think this will mean dismay for Nato and for the Americans," Bays said.

While Pakistan is yet to announce its official reaction to the Afghan accusations, Owais Ahmed Ghani, governor of the North West Frontier Province, has told Al Jazeera that the problems lie "within" Afghanistan.

Al Jazeera's correspondent Kamal Hyder has learnt that all Afghan television channels have been taken off air in Pakistan.

 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 7
 
W. Hawkins
United States
15/07/2008
Kanul meeting
John McCain said today that "he knew how to win wars" so let's send him over to end the Afganistan war - then on to Iraq to end that one - then on to Israel to end that one.. then........

HAQ BA HOO
Pakistan
16/07/2008
This statement is a sign of serious failing of US and Afghan government.

Noliving
Afghanistan
16/07/2008
To be fair riz
To be fair if it is true pakistan killed and wounded more people then the airstrike, and for the purpose of nothing more but for their hatred of india.

surab
Afghanistan
16/07/2008
Karzai is right about ISI of Pakistan.
Pakistan should not be trusted at all. Pakistan is the center of terrorism. The U.S and Nato should start taking action against Pakistan as soon as possible before it is too lat.

Riz
Pakistan
16/07/2008
To Noliving
You think occupation of Afghanistan by US is fair? Karzai imposed on Afghans is fair? Opening Afghanistan for Indian conspiracies against Pakistan is fair? If all of that is fair, then someone said it right - Everything is fair in love war!

Riz
Pakistan
15/07/2008
Over Shadow
Just another effort to over shadow the killing of dozens of innocent people by US air force last week...!

Riz
Pakistan
15/07/2008
I wonder what Mr. Karzai will do if Pakistan: 1- Stops flour and all other vital exports to Afghanistan 2- Closes all Afghan refugee camps and sends them back 3- Fences and mines the border That should be enough to fix his "attitude"!

 
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