Pakistan to consult on recognition of Taliban government

Pakistan's information minister said on Tuesday that said his country will make a decision about the recognition of a Taliban government in Afghanistan only after consultations with regional and international powers.

Fawad Chaudhry said at a news conference that Pakistan does not want to take any "unilateral decision" about this matter. He said Pakistan was pleased that so far there hasn't been much violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover.

Chaudhry made his comments two days after the Taliban swept into the Afghan capital of Kabul following a blitz that lasted just over a week.

Pakistan was among three nations which recognized the Taliban government when it came into power in the 1990s.

The Taliban were ousted by the U.S-led invasion following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. They had at the time sheltered al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, the leader of the network.