Pakistan birthplace of Taliban, says top Afghan leader Ata Noor

Mincing no words, senior Afghan leader and once a member of the legendary Northern Alliance, Ata Mohammad Noor has termed Pakistan the "birthplace of Taliban".

His comments come days after videos emerged of the Taliban's top leader Abdul Ghani Baradar engaging with followers in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi and confessing to the group's leadership in the country.

Ata, who has been in the past Governor of the northern Balkh province said, "we know that Pakistan is the birthplace of the Taliban and they support them." Adding, "We hope Pakistan will collaborate with us as it will be in the best interests of both nations."

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Noor recalled his recent meeting with the top leadership of the country, saying he told them, "foreign insurgents will move their safe havens from Northern Waziristan (Pakistan) to the north of Afghanistan.." Highlighting that he, "warned them against late actions and told them that it’s best we take action today as we will pay a big price tomorrow" and "They kept on coming from Pakistan under the pretext of fighting foreign terrorism. They came and joined the Taliban and improved their presence from Badakhshan to Fariab and Badghis (provinces)"

Earlier this month Taliban's top leadership was in the Pakistani capital Islamabad and met Pakistan foreign minister SM Qureshi and PM Imran Khan. But what raised eyebrows of the Taliban leadership then meeting followers and going to training camps. 

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Afghan foreign ministry had taken a strong objection to it and in a strong statement said, "The overt presence and activities of Afghan insurgent elements and their leaders in Pakistani territory clearly violate Afghanistan's national sovereignty and continue to cause crisis and instability in the region" which poses a "serious challenge to achieving sustainable peace in Afghanistan."

Noor is currently the Chief Executive of Jamiat-e Islami Afghanistan and was earlier in India as part of the engagements with New Delhi vis a vis the peace process.