Admitting that Taliban militants were getting 'support' from Pakistani side, President Prevez Musharraf has said that US-led coalition's strategy to stabilise Afghanistan was failing.
"There is trans-border cooperation in militant activities, with the base in Afghanistan but support from Pakistan. We need to isolate the two, and deal with whatever is happening from Pakistan on our side, while the main action will have to be taken in Afghanistan to counter militancy," Musharraf told Channel-4.
In the interview telecast on Tuesday, Musharraf also acknowledged that Quetta in Balochistan has become a 'hotbed' for Taliban activities but said the base of the militia was in Afghanistan.
"The base of the whole organisation (Taliban) is in Afghanistan. The financing comes from the drug underworld. However, they have support I will accept to an extent... yes, in Quetta, there are about 450,000 Afghan refugees, and this is a hotbed of all kinds of activity," he told the British channel.
About the failure of coalition forces in countering Taliban, he said: "They need to understand the realities.... We need to look into why they are failing. They have given a very, very easy cause, the scapegoat of Pakistan. They will keep failing in Afghanistan if they continue following this trend."
Replying to a question about his talks with the British Prime Minister, he said: "Tony Blair is absolutely onboard with everything I have told you. I know what is happening across the border, and I have spoken about fencing, mining the border. Let us mine the border and make sure nobody crosses it. I am for it."
