Exclusive: Pakistani Govt. Has Ties to Haqqani; Militant Group Blamed for Attacks in Afghanistan

The Voice of America News website reports exclusively today (September 17, 2011) that Cameron Munter -- the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan -- says Washington has evidence linking the Pakistani government to a militant group blamed for a series of attacks in Afghanistan.

Munter told Radio Pakistan there are ties between Islamabad and the Haqqani network. He also said those ties must be severed.

The U.S. has suspected the Pakistani intelligence agency has ties to Haqqani network and other militant groups in Afghanistan -- but very rarely says so publicly.

The U.S. and NATO have blamed the Haqqani network for attacks on U.S. and NATO troops and on U.S. targets -- including the September 13 strike against the U.S. embassy in Kabul.