Continuing its flip-flop over the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Pakistan today said it does not recognise the militia though it has not derecognised it yet.
Apparently not very happy with the emergence of the Northern Alliance in Kabul, Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar made it clear that his Government was not in a hurry to recognise any new administration until a new dispensation is formed with the assistance of the United Nations. . Reflecting its dilemma in the wake of the international campaign in Afghanistan and the fall of the government that was its protege, he told reporters here that Islamabad "has not yet announced the de-recognition of the Taliban Government" but at the same time recognised the fact that the militia's administration has collapsed. . "We have already withdrawn our personnel from Afghanistan but not yet announced de-recognition of Taliban government. That does not mean we continue to recognise it. Quite clearly the (Taliban) government has collapsed," he said.
Significantly, he also said the Pakistan Government continued to extend diplomatic recognition to Taliban ambassador Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef as "for the time being Afghan embassy represents Afghanistan in our country."
"A government does not extern a foreign Ambassador even after a change of government" in the country which he represented, Sattar said. Bureau Report