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UN panel flays Pak for not enforcing
curbs against Taleban

A United Nations panel has expressed dissatisfaction with the way Pakistan was enforcing the Security Council ban on the supply of arms and other sanctions against the ruling Taleban militia in Afghanistan and suggested the setting up of an office in Vienna to monitor the embargo.

"The flow of arms into, within and from Afghanistan is a major long-term cause of insecurity and instability," the panel said, noting that the capability of most of the countries bordering Afghanistan, including Pakistan, had been inadequate in enforcing the UN imposed embargo.

The panel was appointed by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to recommend ways to monitor the arms embargo and the closure of 'international training camps' demanded by the Security Council in a resolution adopted on December 20.

The panel finalised its recommendations after holding discussions with the six countries bordering Afghanistan and other interested parties.

In report to the Security Council released on Friday, the group of five experts also expressed concern over flights into Taleban-controlled areas believed to be carrying tanks, mortars and artillery ammunition but noted that 'no means currently existed for observing and verifying illegal flights'.

The panel suggested setting up of a UN office based in Vienna to monitor the arms embargo and terrorist training camps in Taleban occupied areas.

The report also criticised Islamabad for failing to regulate Islamic religious schools or madarasas in the border areas, which Taleban used for recruitment purposes and are considered breeding grounds for terrorists.

"The Pakistani authorities should be urged to exercise greater control over the madarasas on their territory and the movement of people across its border with Afghanistan," it said.

The proposed office in Vienna, the report said, would help strengthen the arms embargo and track terrorist training camps.

Its aim would be to modernise all aspects of border legislation, customs procedures and border control techniques, it said.

The report suggested creation of a central data bank of terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.

The group also recommended that the arms embargo on Afghanistan include Aircraft Turbine Fuel (ATF), which the Taleban utilises for helicopters, fighter bombers, and lubricants for armoured vehicles. UN panel accuses Taliban of financing war by selling dugs United Nations, May 26 (PTI) A UN panel has accused Afghanistan's Taliban of financing their war and training terrorists with drug money and said the ruling militia was stockpiling opium and heroin to prevent their prices from plummeting. The Taliban was stockpiling and halting the production of opium and heroin to prevent the prices from further spiraling downwards, the panel of independent experts said in a report released yesterday and questioned their commitment to eradicate drugs. If Taliban officials were sincere in stopping the production of opium and heroin, then one would expect them to order the destruction of all stocks existing in areas under their control, the panel said in its report sent to the Security Council. It recommended setting up a mechanism to monitor Taliban's drug trade after it concluded that they continued to finance their war and trained terrorists by the money obtained from selling drugs. It suggested including experts on money-laundering in any mechanism. The panel's findings have dealt a major blow to Taliban's claim that they had taken steps to end drug trade in the territory under their control as it is against Islam. Pakistan representatives have also repeatedly said Taliban's efforts to eradicate drug trade showed their sincerity to become a useful member of the international community. Taliban's supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar had announced a ban on the cultivation of poppy in July last year. But the panel is not convinced that the purpose was to eradicate the drug trade. PTI -->

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