Emergence of Taliban threat to Indian subcontinent: Wali Khan

Shimla, July 14 (UNI) Warning that the emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan was a threat to the entire Indian subcontinent, National Awami Party of Pakistan president A Wali Khan today called upon the countries of the region to work together to face the challenge.

''Unless we have a peaceful and progressive Afghanistan, we should forget about a peaceful and progressive Indian sub-continent,'' he said, while delivering a lecture on 'South Asia - the way ahead', here.

Mr Khan said what started from Afaganistan had trickled down to the entire subcontinent as evident from recent incidents in Srinagar and Mumbai, adding that the forces of fundamentalism and terrorism have to be whipped out from the South Asian countries.

''After the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afaganistan, the country faced threat from warlords and Talibans. Since warlords were considered more powerful, it was decided to hit them first,'' he said.

He said, however, Talibans soon filled the political vacuum thus created and warned that their emergence was a threat to the entire Indian sub continent.

Observing that the Pakhtoons were being looked down upon as 'fundamentalists and terrorists' across the world, he said the developments that had taken in Afaganistan would have an impact on Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

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