Foreign fighters are entering Afghanistan from Pakistan in greater numbers than at any time since the Taliban was ousted in 2001, Afghanistan's defense minister said yesterday.

The minister also complained that some coalition members - notably Italy, Germany and Japan - have made only half-hearted efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan's security institutions.

"There are more foreign fighters in Afghanistan now than ever before," Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak told editors and reporters at The Washington Times.

He said the militants had been flooding in over the past two to three months, since Pakistan began an offensive in pro-Taliban tribal areas in the mountainous border region straddling the two countries.

Asked whether Pakistan - which has suffered numerous soldiers killed and wounded in the region in recent weeks - could do more to halt the infiltration, the minister said, "They can definitely do more."

While the Afghan army is improving its ability to counter the threat, principally through U.S. assistance, Gen. Wardak said the effectiveness of the national police and court system was weak, as were efforts to disarm and reintegrate members of the former Afghan military.

"The United States took the lead on creating the Afghan national army, which has been a success. The Italians took the justice system, [but] they have not dedicated any resources to it, so still that is a problem. A lot of the time, people are sent to the courts and then they are released, perhaps through corruption," he said.

"On the police reform, the Germans were supposed to be leading; they have not dedicated much effort and resources," said Gen. Wardak. "And in the [disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former Afghan forces] the Japanese did a 50-50 job."

Foreign fighters are entering Afghanistan from Pakistan in greater numbers than at any time since the Taliban was ousted in 2001, Afghanistan's defense minister said yesterday.

The minister also complained that some coalition members - notably Italy, Germany and Japan - have made only half-hearted efforts in rebuilding Afghanistan's security institutions.

"There are more foreign fighters in Afghanistan now than ever before," Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak told editors and reporters at The Washington Times.

He said the militants had been flooding in over the past two to three months, since Pakistan began an offensive in pro-Taliban tribal areas in the mountainous border region straddling the two countries.

Asked whether Pakistan - which has suffered numerous soldiers killed and wounded in the region in recent weeks - could do more to halt the infiltration, the minister said, "They can definitely do more."

While the Afghan army is improving its ability to counter the threat, principally through U.S. assistance, Gen. Wardak said the effectiveness of the national police and court system was weak, as were efforts to disarm and reintegrate members of the former Afghan military.

"The United States took the lead on creating the Afghan national army, which has been a success. The Italians took the justice system, [but] they have not dedicated any resources to it, so still that is a problem. A lot of the time, people are sent to the courts and then they are released, perhaps through corruption," he said.

"On the police reform, the Germans were supposed to be leading; they have not dedicated much effort and resources," said Gen. Wardak. "And in the [disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former Afghan forces] the Japanese did a 50-50 job."