Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai believes Mullah Mohammed Omar, the elusive leader of the Taliban, may be operating from Pakistan.

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Mullah Omar was spotted praying in a mosque in Quetta, in northwest Pakistan, ten days ago. "This is the first time that I have said this publicly," Karzai was quoted as saying in US magazine Newsweek.

Taliban rebels are getting support in Pakistan and Quetta has become their main base, he said adding he had asked Pakistani leaders to stop Pakistani Islamic groups from providing them sanctuary.