LEAD: Pakistani foreign minister visits Kabul amid rising tension

Feb 1, 2012, 8:00 GMT

Kabul - Pakistan's foreign minister arrived in Afghanistan on Wednesday amidst growing tension between the two countries, officials said.

Hina Rabbani Khar's visit came as a secret NATO document alleging that Pakistan's intelligence agency was helping Taliban insurgents surfaced.

The BBC cited the document's conclusion that the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) knows the locations and activities of senior Taliban leaders.

'Pakistan's manipulation of the Taliban senior leadership continues unabatedly,' it said.

Pakistan's foreign ministry refused to comment on the report.

A spokesman said the diplomatic talks would focus on 'the fight against terrorism and Pakistan's essential support for the success of the Afghan peace process.'

'We hope the visit will mark a new phase in the relations and co-operation between the two neighbouring and brotherly countries,' the spokesman said.

Both nations suffer from the same problem and have common security interests, he said.

The classified NATO document was said to be based on 27,000 interrogations with more than 4,000 captured Taliban, al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters and civilians.

'Senior Taliban leaders meet regularly with ISI personnel, who advise on strategy and relay any pertinent concerns of the government of Pakistan,' the report said.

Pakistan officials have always denied having ties to the Taliban.

The report also concluded that there has been an unprecedented interest, even from members of the Afghan government, in joining the Taliban cause.

'Afghan civilians frequently prefer Taliban governance over the Afghan government, usually as a result of government corruption.'

The report said the Taliban was trying to hasten NATO's withdrawal by deliberately reducing their attacks in some areas and initiating a comprehensive hearts-and-minds campaign, the BBC reported.

Read more about NATO

Read more about Pakistan