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Pakistan enclave provides
R&R for wounded Taliban 
Musharraf denies country provides safe haven,
but fighters observed recovering from injuries

Taliban fighters, wounded in battles with NATO forces in Afghanistan, are being given sanctuary in Pakistan safe houses, reports the London Sunday Times after its reporter was allowed to visit a compound where 30 commanders and fighters were recovering from their injuries.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has long denied charges that his country is providing sanctuary for the Taliban and al-Qaida, charging that Osama bin Laden and other terrorists wanted by the U.S. are hiding in neighboring Afghanistan. He became outraged last February when Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, presented him with a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar, the head of the movement, living in Quetta, a city of over a half million near the Afghanistan border.

The Times had no problem finding the white-walled Taliban compound in the Pashtunabad neighborhood of Quetta, either.

The Taliban fighters, some of whom were wounded in the NATO offensive launched in September, had been treated for their injuries, were dressed in neatly pressed robes and black turbans, and lounged on cushions while eating sweets, drinking tea and discussing the war.

Several of the commanders confirmed that Quetta was regularly used as a place to study and recuperate out of the reach of NATO forces.

"We find the fighting fun," said a 38-year-old man. "Jihad against the infidels is more important than studying books. A weak man should fight for three months of the year and study the rest. A strong man should fight for six months."

Despite their coming and going across the border with Afghanistan, they noted little effort by Pakistani authorities to interfere with them beyond being regularly "shaken down" by the police, who could be bought off for a $4 bribe.

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is meeting with Musharraf today and, according to the British Foreign Office, will be addressing concerns about Pakistan's position on the Taliban.

Only one known Taliban member has been arrested in Pakistan and that only after British intelligence intercepted his telephone call from Peshawar ordering the execution of a British engineer.

"We fully understand the tightrope that General Musharraf is walking between extremists and helping the West," a spokesman said. "We know he is fighting a number of insurgencies within his own borders. But he too has said he is concerned about growing Talibanization in his own country and our message is we want to help."

It's help, however, that has not been welcome to date.

As WND reported last month, Musharraf reasserted in September that Pakistan would never allow U.S.-led coalition forces – currently hunting al-Qaida and Taliban fighters on the Afghan side of the border – into tribal areas on the Pakistan side.

"On our side of the border there will be a total uprising if a foreigner [from the West] enters that area," he said at a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. "It's not possible at all. We will never allow any foreigners into that area. It's against the culture of the people there," who are devout Sunni Muslims and big fans of bin Laden according to recent polls. Since 9/11, many of them have named their newborn sons after "Osama," which is Arabic for lion.

Musharraf recently cut a controversial peace deal with Pashtun militants in his country's northern tribal belt who are protecting Taliban and al-Qaida. U.S. officials fear the truce will give the terrorists free reign to plan attacks.