Pakistan may boycott the London Conference on Afghanistan if certain states try to use the gathering to promote India’s increased role in Afghanistan.

Reliable sources say that Islamabad is strongly opposed to any Indian military role in Afghanistan not only because it would complicate the efforts for peaceful negotiations between various Afghan parties but would also increase threats to Pakistan’s strategic interests.

London Conference is being held today apparently to draw international support for a negotiated settlement of Afghanistan.

A Pakistani official told this scribe on condition of anonymity that if some Western states continue to insist on a military role for India, Pakistan’s efforts for a negotiated settlement would face a serious set-back and Islamabad may have to pull out of the conference opposing any such scheme.

“We do not want to be a party to any further foreign intervention in Afghanistan particularly at a time when we are trying to seek a peaceful settlement between moderate Taliban and Karzai Government,” the official warned.

The Taliban leadership has also made it clear that in case the international community allocates a role for the Indians they would intensify their military attacks on foreign forces.