KABUL, May 16 – A rebel warlord who has so far refused to meet a deadline to surrender his arms in eastern Afghanistan can expect to be dealt with, the special advisor to interim leader Hamid Karzai said Wednesday.
Karzai warned Tuesday he was prepared to call in US military help to bring Padsha Khan to heel if he failed to respond to the Wednesday ultimatum and that he had already assembled a large government force to attack the ethnic Pashtun strongman based in eastern Paktia province.
Khanís forces launched a fierce attack late last month in a vain bid to seize control of Paktia, the worst outbreak of factional fighting in Afghanistan since Khan last tried to storm the provincial capital Gardez in January.
The position of the government is very clear, Ashraf Ghani told reporters Wednesday. People cannot take the country hostage and any criminal activity that results in the destruction of life or property of the ordinary citizens will be dealt with.
At least 115 people were killed or injured in last monthís violence in Gardez which saw rockets land near sitting governor Taj Mohammad Wardakís offices. The local hospital also came under attack.
Ghani added that intensive discussions have taken place in the hope that the objective which is peace and security for the ordinary citizens of Paktia will be achieved very swiftly.
Governor Wardak initially vowed to attack Khanís forces last Wednesday but agreed to a weekís delay to give a peace mission by representatives of former king Mohammed Zahir Shah a chance of success. They returned empty-handed.
Khan was initially appointed governor of Paktia province by Karzai but failed to take charge in the face of strong resistance from members of the local Shura (council of elders).
Karzai, whose administrationís influence is limited beyond Kabul, has said that lasting peace in Afghanistan hinges on the disappearance of warlords.
www.paknews.com/specialNews.php?id=1149&date1=2002-05-16E-mail this article