HISTORY: Pakistani intelligence helped create the Taliban militia, many of whose leaders and recruits studied at religious schools in Pakistan. Despite international condemnation of the Taliban regime’s fundamentalist rule in Afghanistan from 1996-2001, Pakistan was one of the few countries that gave it diplomatic recognition, underscoring the importance to Pakistan of having a strong ally in power in its neighbor.

WAR ON TERROR: Pakistan formally abandoned its support for the Taliban after the regime refused to expel al-Qaida leaders following the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. Pakistan backed the United States and sent its own troops into its border regions to tackle al-Qaida remnants who fled Afghanistan. However, Taliban leaders were also suspected to have found shelter in Pakistan and of maintaining links with Pakistani spy agencies.

SAFE HAVENS: Afghanistan says the Taliban has used its havens in Pakistan’s lawless tribal regions to regroup and stage increasingly deadly attacks inside Afghanistan. It claims Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence was behind a recent assassination attempt on President Hamid Karzai. While Pakistan denies it has any policy to support the Taliban — whose sympathizers pose an increasing security threat in Pakistan itself — the operations of the spy agency are not subject to public scrutiny. Western officials question Pakistan’s resolve in sealing the border and suggest some elements in ISI could be actively supporting the militants.

source: AP