Afghan army chief says Pak can stop war in country with one word to 'controlled' Taliban

The chief of the Afghan army has said fighting in Afghanistan could be stopped in weeks if Pakistan told the Taliban to end the insurgency.

General Sher Mohammad Karimi said Pakistan controlled and gave shelter to Taliban leaders, who are deliberately sending fighters to Afghanistan.

Karimi told the BBC's Today programme that the Taliban are under Pakistan's control - the leadership is in Pakistan.

He added that if Pakistan put pressure on Taliban leadership or convinced them that could of great help.

A Nato report leaked in April revealed that Pakistan was aware that Taliban leaders were taking refuge within its borders.

The report added that senior Taliban figures such as Nasiruddin Haqqani were living close to ISI headquarters in Islamabad.

It was based on the interrogations of 27,000 captured Taliban, al-Qaeda and foreign fighters as well as civilians.

Pakistan has however consistently denied having any influence over the Taliban.

It has said many militants have based themselves across the border in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar, from where they are known to have carried out attacks in north-western Pakistan, the report added.