Afghan President Hamid Karzai today urged the nations of central and south Asia to forge a united front against militant groups he said posed the greatest danger to to the region's future.
Afghanistan's stability was critical to security and prosperity in a region which contained major energy reserves and the booming Indian economy, Karzai told the opening of a conference on rebuilding his shattered country.
"We also recognise that Afghanistan's stability is an asset for the region, whereas an unstable Afghanistan will undoubtedly put the vision of a peaceful and prosperous region in jeopardy," he told the gathering in the Indian capital New Delhi.
"To win this war, we need the enduring partnership of solid and unwavering allies," Karzai said. Afghanistan has repeatedly accused Pakistan of not doing enough to stop the Taliban and other armed groups sheltering and training in its borderlands.
Some senior officials in Kabul go as far as accusing the Pakistani government of continuing to sponsor the Taliban.
Pakistan denies any involvement and says it is doing all it can to stop cross-border incursions, as it does with Kashmiri separatists trying to cross the frontier into Indian Kashmir.