'Indo-Pak security relationship has consequences in Afghanistan'

America's top diplomat in Kabul has told US lawmakers that security relationship between India and Pakistan has its own consequences in Afghanistan. "The security relationship between India and Pakistan has consequences for Afghanistan," US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry said on Tuesday to a question from Senator Kay Hagan before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senator Hagan said ever since the partition of India, Islamabad has attempted to utilise its proxies, to install a friendly Pashtun government in Afghanistan that would preserve the de facto border and prevent Pashtun aspirations of a homeland and prevent Indian involvement in Afghanistan.

Hagan alleged that Pakistan continues to pursue a dual track policy of disrupting the Pakistani Taliban in its tribal areas, most notably in South Waziristan, while elements of its military support the Afghan Taliban networks, most notably in North Waziristan; and the Afghan Taliban high command in its Baluchistan province.

"The key question is if elements of Pakistan's military can be persuaded to change this dual-track policy. In order to do that, we've got to address Pakistan's regional concerns, taking into account its relationships with Afghanistan and India," the Senator from North Carolina noted.