Ousted leader wants to probe Pakistani role in Afghanistan
Ousted leader wants to probe Pakistani role in Afghanistan
UNITED NATIONS (Reuter): Afghanistan's ousted government on Monday refused to give up office and called on the United Nations to probe Pakistani support for the radical Islamic Taleban militia that took over the capital of Kabul last week.
"We earnestly expect the United Nations to immediately send a fact-finding mission into Afghanistan (to) assess the level and degree of cross-border intervention here," said deputy foreign minister, Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai.
He was reading a declaration from ousted president Burhanuddin Rabbani who said his government was "willing and ready" to give the United Nations evidence, including captured Pakistani officers in its custody.
The statement said the government, which fled north of the capital to Talaqan in Tahar province near Tajikistan, would temporarily continue its functions outside of Kabul and that its diplomatic and consular missions would continue to represent Afghanistan.
In answer to questions, the minister indicated that the government wanted to hold onto territory it controls, prevent diplomatic recognition of the Taleban and attempt to form alliances with other groups within the country.
The Taleban, formed by seminary students two years ago, swept into Kabul on Friday, and immediately abducted the former communist-backed president Najibullah from a UN compound, tortured and executed him with his brother.
The militia was forcing women to leave their jobs, many of the war widows supporting families, as well as wear a veil.
UN officials had no comment but sources said it was improbable that such an investigation would be conducted. Official UN reports for months complained about foreign interference in the nations's civil war without naming Pakistan as one of the countries involved.
Late on Saturday the UN Security Council said in a formal statement that all states should stop interfering in Afghanistan. It also signalled its dismay over Najibullah's assassination.
Pakistan denied it supplied the Taleban with arms and money but it voiced support for Taleban's takeover of Kabul. Iran backed the ousted government, along with Russia and India.
Pakistani envoys at the United Nations also said they had no knowledge of Ghafoozai's claim that 21 soldiers, including five Pakistani officers, were captured by Rabbini's troops as the Taleban moved towards Kabul.
Ghafoorzai said that government forces were co-ordinating efforts with those of Abdul Rashid Dostum, a warlord controlling six provinces in the north. Dostum opposed both the former government and Taleban and stayed away from the fighting.