Rawalpindi, Pakistan – President Gen. Pervez Musharraf acknowledged Friday that outgunned Pakistani frontier guards have allowed insurgents to cross into Afghanistan but denied the army or intelligence service was actively helping the Taliban.
Musharraf said the army soon would fence parts of the border to stop militant infiltration, despite Afghan opposition.
Many observers have been skeptical that the plan will prevent many militants from crossing, especially because the proposed fencing would cover only a tiny portion of the frontier.
Musharraf said Pakistan was being made a scapegoat for the bloodiest surge in violence in Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was ousted five years ago for hosting al-Qaeda.
“A misperception is being created that the resurgence of Taliban is from Pakistan. This is absolutely wrong. The resurgence of the Taliban is in Afghanistan, but some support goes from Pakistan,” Musharraf said at his army office in Rawalpindi.
His defense of Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorism and his admission of lapses follow criticism from U.S. military officials who say cross-border attacks into Afghanistan have risen threefold since Pakistan signed a September peace deal with pro-Taliban militants in its North Waziristan region.
Musharraf said there had been “some incidents” of security forces at isolated border posts “turning a blind eye.” He cited an example of two guards, located 500 yards from their section base, being outnumbered by about 20 highly trained and motivated al- Qaeda militants.
But he denied any official collusion with militants, saying the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence was staffed by army officers who obey the chain of command.
