Afghanistan's major problems stem from within and are funded by narcotics trade, Nato commander in Afghanistan, British General David Richards, said here on Tuesday.
During his meeting with President Pervez Musharraf he said that ISAF "fully appreciates that a vast majority of problems of Afghanistan are emanating from within the country, having deep roots due to the fact that the country had remained highly unstable for over two decades".
He said that it is believed that Taliban activity was being funded through narcotics trade and other criminal activities, thus putting to rest the widely circulated speculation that Pakistan intelligence agency, ISI, is behind the stepped up Taliban insurgency.
Even before meeting the President, General Richards had firmly denied reports that he would confront President Musharraf with evidence of alleged support of Pakistan's intelligence agencies for Taliban. "That is not the reason for one moment that I came here," he told a local private TV channel in an interview recorded before the meeting.
At the hour-long meeting at the Army House, President Musharraf reiterated that Pakistan "supports a strong, secure and stable Afghanistan", which is not only in the interest of both Afghanistan and Pakistan but also for the development of the entire region.
The President said that as a brotherly and neighbouring country, Pakistan is extending considerable assistance to Afghanistan for its reconstruction and has provided various incentives to boost trade relations between the two countries.
He said that during his recent meetings, first with President Karzai in Kabul and later with President Bush and Karzai in Washington, they discussed ways and means on how to expand co-operation between the two countries in various fields, including fight against terrorism.
General Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan, besides hosting over 2.5 million Afghan refugees, is assisting Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism and extremism. He also referred to the agreement in North Waziristan, which is aimed at checking the activities of terrorists and militant Taliban.
General Richards said the primary purpose of his visit to Pakistan was to thank the President, the government, the armed forces and security agencies of Pakistan for the excellent co-operation being extended in the fight against terrorism. He said that ISAF wanted to build on this and further expand co-operation to defeat the Taliban and terrorists.
Also present at the meeting were Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ahsan Saleem Hayat, UK High Commissioner in Islamabad Mark Lyall Grant and Nato Advisor Terence Jagger.
Richards took over the command of the 30,000-man ISAF in Afghanistan last week, amidst a crescendo of anti-ISI reporting in the British press--that had started building up as President Musharraf arrived in London towards the end of last month. Then, there were comments by 'Nato commanders' and a piece by the Sunday Times saying that General Richards would tell Pakistani host, with evidence, that ISI was at the back of Taliban who have surprised the Nato force by its tenacity in fighting back.