‘ISLAMABAD, April 15, Reuter: Pakistan has given a strong hint it will continue to allow Afghan guerrillas to operate on its territory if Moscow maintains arms supplies to Kabul during the
Pull out of Soviet troops.
The Afghan accord signed in Geneva on Thursday stipulates both withdrawals of an estimated 115,000 Soviet troops from Afghanistan and an end to US—backed guerrillas facilities in Pakistan.
In remarks to reporters, President ZiaulHaq said the Soviet Union would have no cause for complaint in the coming months as it had willfully accepted that both superpowers would continue arms supplies to their respective allies in balance, or “symmetry”, during and after the withdrawal.
“They should have known how the U.S. will supply … the Afghan resistance: They’re not sending it in by parachute”, he told reporters.
Pakistan was incapable of sealing the frontier to stop the rebels entering Afghanistan, Zia said, adding that during negotiations for a settlement Moscow had admitted it also lacked the means.
“I told them, ‘I’m sorry we have neither the resources nor the means. You’re a superpower, please seal the border” they said “We’re incapable”.
“I’m not trying to say Pakistan. is going to violate (the accord) and this is an excuse of a 1,200 mile border no. “We intend to fulfill our part of the agreement and let the USA fulfill their part and let the Soviet Union accept the results of their (the Soviets) acceptance of the symmetry of continuation”, Zia said,
Article extracted from this publication >> April 22, 1988
