Afghan President Hamid Karzai said yesterday Pakistani agents were behind the Indian embassy bombing in Kabul last week, the first time he has directly accused Pakistan of involvement in the suicide attack that killed 58 people.

Afghan officials have previously said the July 7 attack bore all the hallmarks of a foreign intelligence agency but stopped short of naming any country.

But Afghanistan believes Pakistan is secretly helping Taliban insurgents as a strategic asset to counter Indian influence, keep the war-torn country weak and allow Pakistani forces to concentrate on defending the border with India.