Afghan money fuels terrorism in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari is believed to have called for immediate US steps to prevent the use of Afghan drug money in terrorism in Pakistan.

Reliable sources informed TheNation that President Zardari had conveyed these concerns to US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher who was believed to have called on him Sunday at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The meeting was not officially confirmed, as the official spokesman of the President was not available for comments.

When contacted, the US embassy spokesman neither confirmed nor denied  the meeting.

However, he clarified that Boucher's current visit to Pakistan was mutually finalised by the two countries, adding the US Assistant Secretary was meeting various government officials, representatives of the civil society and political leaders.

It was learnt that issues related to the war against terror, Pak-Afghan border situation and bilateral ties figured out during the meeting.

The sources said the President Zardari also called upon the US and the world community to halt intrusion into tribal areas from Afghanistan. He said Islamabad was fighting a war against terrorism under a comprehensive strategy and the US was needed to understand the ground realities in Pakistan.

Boucher participating in the discussion said the US supported Pakistan's policy against terrorism and high-tech weapons would be supplied to Pakistan forces for crushing the miscreants. He said he would ask President Karzai in a meeting to stop intrusion into Fata from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that Boucher would also meet PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif here on Monday to discuss political issues and war on terror.

PML-N sources said, "Sharifs would convey the party viewpoint to the visiting US official to encourage negotiations with Taliban in order to establish durable peace in the region."

APP adds: Spokesman of the President Sunday confirmed a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher on Saturday and said they discussed US-Pakistan bilateral affairs.

The spokesman said the courtesy call by the US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher was made on Saturday evening.