| http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/010501/dtLFOR16.asp
'US plans to resurrect Zahir Shah to counter Taliban' PTI (Islamabad, May 1) FORMER PRIME Minister of Afghanistan and Chief of Hizb-e-Islami party, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has said that the United States has plans to bring in exiled Afghan Monarch Zahir Shah to counter the Taliban militia. "The American plan to bring Shah to the centre stage of volatile Afghan politics has already been endorsed by anti-Taliban militia commander, Ahmad Shah Masood," he said. Shah's return to Afghan politics should be opposed by the Afghan militia. Hekmatiyar, who is currently based in Iran, told this to a Pakistani newspaper Aysaf in an interview, adding he was prepared to support the Taliban to prevent Shah's entry provided the militia created conditions for other groups to return to Kabul. Hekmatyar also disclosed that he was in direct touch with the Taliban and a delegation of the ruling militia had visited Tehran and held talks with him. He said he had clarified to the Taliban that the war was not the solution of the Afghan imbroglio and Afghanistan should not made battlefield for others interests. |
