By Zia Ur Rehman
December 10, 2013
http://www.peacebuilding.no/Regions/Asia/Pakistan/Publications/Exposing-the-Karachi-Afghanistan-link
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Karachi, with its large businesses, moneyed residents and huge Pashtun population, has been fertile ground not only for the Pakistani Taliban, but also the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda. Karachi’s religious leadership and Islamic seminaries played a leading role in resistance against the Soviets, later fighting the Northern Alliance and then supporting the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Pakistani jihadi groups, which have a strong influence in Karachi, have also sent a significant number of fighters to Afghanistan to participate in the Afghan war. When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, these groups enjoyed the complete support of the organisation.