Leaders Agree to Fight Extremism Together

Pakistan's President has conceded that Taliban militants are operating from Pakistani territory bordering Afghanistan. The admission came at a meeting in Kabul of tribal leaders from both nations at which Pervez Musharraf pledged to work with his Afghan counterpart to defeat extremism. The tribal elders also agreed to deny sanctuary to Islamic militants.

After failing to show up at the start of the so-called 'peace jirga' in Kabul, Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf made a surprise appearance at the end. Under pressure from both Afghanistan and the US to attend, the General has faced accusations from both that Pakistan's not doing enough to combat Islamic militancy in its tribal regions. At this traditional gathering of tribal leaders from both sides of the border, Pakistan's military ruler acknowledged that Taliban militants waging an insurgency in Afghanistan had found sanctuary on Pakistani soil. The resurgence of the Taliban has strained relations between the neighbouring countries and General Musharraf took a conciliatory tone at the jirga, calling for mutual trust and co-operation.

GENERAL PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: The issue then is of winning hearts, and weaning them away from the diehards.

General Musharraf pledged to work with Afghanistan to defeat a common security threat posed by extremism. The tribal leaders also agreed not to give sanctuary to militants, and to oppose the opium trade that funds their operations. But two of Pakistan's seven tribal areas boycotted the jirga because the Taliban were excluded, saying there can be no solution without them. And Pakistan's Ambassador to the US has insisted that his country's already doing all it can to fight extremism, including deploying 85,000 troops in tribal areas.

MAHMUD ALI DURRANI, PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR TO US: We are doing more than our share of lifting. I really don't understand when people suspect us. We are, let me tell you, we are totally, utterly committed to destroying extremism.

The Ambassador also bristled at claims that Pakistani authorities know where Osama bin Laden is.

MAHMUD ALI DURRANI: If we knew exactly where he was, we would get him.

The Ambassador didn't deny that bin Laden may be in Pakistan's border regions, but claimed there was no intelligence on his exact whereabouts.
Vesna Nazor