Author: PTI
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: September 27, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/205309/Parts-of-ISI-supporting-Taliban-protecting-Mullah-OmarReport.html
Parts of ISI are supporting Taliban and protecting
their chief Mullah Omar and other militant leaders in Pakistan's Quetta city,
where US officials have discussed sending commandos to capture or kill the
terrorists, a media report said in London on Sunday.
The US is threatening to launch air strikes
against Mullah Omar and the Taliban leadership in Quetta as frustration mounts
about the ease with which they find sanctuary across the border from Afghanistan,
'The Sunday Times' reported.
The threat comes amid growing divisions in
Washington about whether to deal with the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan
by sending more troops or by reducing them and targeting the terrorists.
According to the report, US Vice-President
Joe Biden has suggested reducing the number of troops in Afghanistan and focusing
on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan.
Quoting western intelligence officers, the
report said Taliban leaders are being moved to to the volatile city of Karachi,
where it would be impossible to strike. It said US officials have even discussed
sending commandos to Quetta to capture or kill the Taliban leaders before
they are moved.
It said while the government of President
Asif Ali Zardari is committed to wiping out terrorism, Pakistan's powerful
military does not entirely share the view.
There has been tacit cooperation over the
use of US drones. Some are even stationed inside Pakistan, although publicly
the government denounces their use, the report said.
