ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the actual importance of bases in Pakistani territory for the Taliban insurgents and in particular the Taliban's access to an Afghan community of a few million members on Pakistani territory. The 'Pakistani reservoir' has given the Taliban most of their manpower, and enabling them to fight the insurgency on a much greater scale. In the case of the relationship with Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian organisations, elders and villagers often report that local Taliban were ready to close one or even both eyes and allow these organisations to operate, even against the Taliban's rules. To maintain a strong presence of mobile, full-time forces inside Afghanistan in the presence of strong military opposition, the Taliban's rear in Pakistan has been essential and not just because of logistics or because of the shelter afforded to the insurgency.
