What are their linkages in West Asia, particularly Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia was the first to recognise the Taliban in 1997 after they entered Mazar-e-Sharif. But after the air strikes in August 1998 of the United States against the Taliban, they froze their relationship and suspended diplomatic relations. But a lot of Saudi sheikhs gave a lot of funds as they saw the Taliban worthy of support. How do you see Pakistan’s role? Pakistan has been the godfather of the Taliban ever since it started. What we have seen all these years is a creeping invasion of Afghanistan by Pakistan. An estimate said that between 82,000 and 100,000 Pakistanis had crossed over to Afghanistan to provide support to the Taliban between 1994 and 1997. It was covert intervention — citizens of one country entering another country to offer support. There has been curious reluctance by the West to confront Pakistan for what it did. The nuclear tests in 1998 made the Western powers reluctant to put any pressure on Pakistan, fearing it would lead to its disintegration and nuclear
