ISI Headquarters, Pak

A report published by London School of Economics, a leading institute in Britain, accused Pakistani military intelligence of having official representation in Taliban’s leadership council and thus having significant influence in its operations. Report also said that Taliban was the “official policy” of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and ISI funds and trains Taliban fighters.

This report can raise more concerns in the West over Pakistan’s commitment to help end the war in Afghanistan and fight terrorism. Western forces are already suspecting links between the ISI and militants.

The report further said that Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistani President, have visited senior Taliban prisoners in Pakistan earlier this year, where he is believed to have promised their release and help for militant operations, suggesting support for the Taliban “is approved at the highest level of Pakistan’s civilian government.”

The report also said “Pakistan continues to give extensive support to the insurgency in terms of funding, munitions and supplies.” Report claimed that this fact is based on interviews with Taliban commanders in some of the most violent regions in Afghanistan.

“These accounts were corroborated by former Taliban ministers, a Western analyst and a senior UN official based in Kabul, who said the Taliban largely depend on funding from the ISI and groups in Gulf countries,” the report said.

“Pakistan appears to be playing a double-game of astonishing magnitude,” said the report, based on interviews with Taliban commanders and former senior Taliban ministers as well as Western and Afghan security officials.

A Pakistani diplomatic source denied the accusations and described that report as “naive,” and also said it is up to the Afghan government to have any talks with the Taliban.

However, this report has no hard evidence to prove their claim.

[Sources: Reuters]