Karzai troop threat angers Pakistan

Islamabad, June 16 (AP): Pakistan today summoned Afghanistan’s ambassador to lodge a strong protest over President Hamid Karzai’s threat to send Afghan troops to fight Taliban leaders inside Pakistan.

Although Kabul appeared unlikely to follow through on the threat, the spat marked a new low in relations between two key nations in the US-led war on terror, often strained over allegations of cross-border militancy.

Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said Afghan ambassador Mohammed Anwar Anwarzai was summoned to the ministry in Islamabad. This information was confirmed by the Afghan embassy.

In a statement, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi described Karzai’s comments as “threatening” and “regrettable”. Qureshi said he would make “it absolutely clear that Pakistan shall defend its territorial sovereignty”.

Karzai told a news conference in Kabul yesterday that Afghanistan has a right to send troops into Pakistan because Taliban militants cross over from Pakistan to attack Afghan and foreign forces. He warned Afghan forces would target Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Baitullah Mehsud in Pakistan.

Omar is the supreme leader of the hardline militia that was ousted from power in Afghanistan in the US-led invasion in 2001 for hosting al Qaida. Kabul claims Pakistan shelters Omar, but Islamabad maintains the elusive Omar is in Afghanistan.

Mehsud is the most prominent leader of Pakistani Taliban militants. He was accused in last year’s assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, an allegation he denied.