LONDON, Oct 6: Nato commanders from five countries who have troops stationed in Afghanistan are demanding their governments get tough with Pakistan over its support for the Taliban, The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday.

Commanders from the United States, Britain, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands want their governments to tell Pakistan to stop supporting the Taliban, which has stepped up its attacks in Afghanistan.

“It is time for an ‘either you are with us or against us’ delivered bluntly to Musharraf at the highest political level,” an unnamed Nato commander told the newspaper.

“Our boys in southern Afghanistan are hurting because of what is coming out of Quetta,” the same commander added.

According to the newspaper, Nato’s report on “Operation Medusa”, the bloody campaign between Sept 4 and 17, states that Pakistan’s ISI was involved in supplying the Taliban.

The report apparently estimates that the cost of Taliban ammunition stocks at around 4.9 million dollars.

“The Taliban could not have done this on their own without the ISI,” an unnamed senior Nato officer was quoted as saying.

The report comes a day after Nato took over control of all foreign troops in Afghanistan, with British General David Richards taking charge.

Blair told reporters in London that everybody was better off now in Afghanistan despite the renewed fighting.—Agencies

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

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