Allied forces losing Afghan war: Zardari
Paris, Aug. 3: Coalition forces “are losing the war against the Taliban” in Afghanistan, the Pakistani President, Mr Asif Ali Zardari, said in an interview published in France on Tuesday.
“The international community, to which Pakistan belongs, is losing the war against the Taliban. This is above all because we have lost the battle to win hearts and minds,” he said, in comments published in French by Le Monde.
Mr Zardari told the daily that the US and NATO-led coalition forces had “underestimated the situation on the ground” in Afghanistan. His comments came after military documents leaked to the media pointed to alleged support by Pakistani officials for the Taliban. Mr Zardari insisted that Pakistan was committed to fighting militants in the region.
Since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan drove them out of power in 2003, the Taliban have waged a fierce fight against international forces.
“I think they have no chance of regaining power, but their grip is strengthening,” Mr Zardari said of the hardline Islamist movement.
In London, the Pakistan information minister, Mr Qamar Zaman Kaira, said Mr Zardari will be doing some plain talking when he meets the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron. Mr Zardari plans to put Mr Cameron straight when he meets him at a summit at Chequers on Friday.
Chequers is the official country residence of the British PM in Buckinghamshire.
Mr Kaira said that Mr Zardari would present Mr Cameron with the facts on the ground during their Friday meeting.
The official said the Pakistani president would tell Mr Cameron to be more forthright in supporting Pakistani democracy and more careful in what he says, especially in countries like India that are very hostile.
During his India visit, Mr Cameron warned Pakistan against exporting terrorism to India, Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world.
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