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Rumoured to have strong links with the al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden and the ISI, the recent attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul has been linked to Haqqani and his loosely linked network across Afghanistan and Pakistan. His power is such that he has been repeatedly wooed by the US and the Afghan Government to join their side but he remains an independent leader. President Hamid Karzai even offered him the post of Prime Minister, which he turned down. He shot to political prominence during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and established himself as a force to reckon with when in 1991 his forces successfully captured the town of Khost, in eastern Afghanistan in the first ever victory against the Najibullah Government. His strong ties in the West Asia especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ensured a steady inflow of finances. His weaponry includes stinger missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, explosives and tanks. The Afghan war general was made the Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs and the Governor of Paktia Province by the Taliban during its years in power. Haqqani and his son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, are believed to be commanders of the Taliban Mujahideen forces in Waziristan. The Waziristan Accord, a ceasefire agreement signed in 2006 allowing Mujahideen fighters to operate in the area following Pakistani law, is testimony to his brilliance.
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