Washington: Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah expressed concern on October 21 at the success of Taliban backers in Pakistan's recent elections, especially in areas bordering his nation.

"Those are the advocates of the Taleban and al-Qaida. They have got votes during the elections, and they will be regional authorities in North West frontier," Abdullah told the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"That is, I think, a major cause of concern for us. They are the Taleban," he said at the meeting arranged by the Washington think tank.

"I hope that it will not affect stability in the process of further stabilisation in Afghanistan and in Pakistan itself negatively.

"I hope that the government of Pakistan will be able to control those elements while they are in the government," he said.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was recently reelected in a one-candidate referendum.