Islamabad: Rejecting allegations that Pakistan interfered in the affairs of Afghanistan by encouraging the Taliban, President Pervez Musharraf said the view had no credence that Islamabad used its western neighbour as a strategic depth in the event of any aggression by India.
Referring to Pakistan's past policies on Afghanistan, the President said every country has a policy, which changes in accordance with the existing environment.
"Policy changes in line with the existing environment but national interests remain constant", Musharraf said in an interview to local Pushtoon TV channel AVT Khyber.
The present Pakistan government's policy, he said, was very clear and Pakistan was not interfering in internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Musharraf rejected the old notion of Pakistan using Afghanistan as strategic depth in case of any aggression from India, saying the theory is based on assumptions that a country has been invaded and overrun and government is operating from other countries.
"This can never happen to Pakistan," he said adding that according to the country's military strategy its defences lie in the borders. "We will never let our enemies enter our areas," he added.
Musharraf said Afghanistan "should be run as the people of Afghanistan want. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have to co-exist. There is no other option".
The Pakistani President said Taliban was involved in spreading extremism in the tribal region. "Extremism was being practiced by Taliban. I think they have no single leadership.
May be, it is Mullah Omar who I think is in Afghanistan and they may have linkages here but there is no common leader here."
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