KABUL. Mar 2: The military chi. I of the embattled gov ■ miiicnt asked Monday that a i ommittee of Islamic scholars, lawyers and Intellectuals be formed to help end the bloody Icudlng among Afghan factions, reports AP.

In an interview with the Associated Press. Ahmed Shah Masood also said he was preparing a new offensive to crush Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the other chieftains who have battered Kabul with shells and missiles.

"Not one of them has taken on responsibility for the problems of Afghanistan. When they face problems, they Jump in the Jeeps and flee to Pakistan, but not one has shown any kind of compassion toward this country," he said.

Masood, Defence Minister in the government of President Burhanuddln Rabbani, spoke during a four-hour interview at his home, a former guest house of the Communist government.

Masood also attacked( Hekmatyar's foreign backers. He mentioned no countries by name, but seemed to be talking about Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, whose fundamentalists have sent Hakmatyar hundreds of millions of dollars.

"We have documents that show that these countries have been giving military and financial assistance to Hekmatyar," said Masood, pulling out identity cards and other documents of Arab mer-

cenaries killed last month fighting beside Hekmatyar s I Iczb-e-Islanii rebels.

Pakistani and Saudi negotiators have been trying to broker an end to the bloodshed that has killed or wounded tens of thousands of people and destroyed much of the city.

Fighting began almost immediately in April, after a 14-ycar war ended with the ouster of the Communists and victory for the Islamic factions.

Rabbani arrived Monday In Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, for peace talks. Few believe

any truce will last, though, because of the intense hatred between Hekmatyar and Masood.

"He is a man looking only for power and he will use any method to get it," Masood said

"We want a political sctjli ment worked out through negotiations," he said. "But if we have to fight, ft will be a quick strike. We arc preparing for the second round of fighting and we will make it a very short war."

Discontent has been grow ing in Kabul over Masood's re-

luctance to wipe out the long-ranc missiles and rocket launchers used by Hekmatyars rebels.

On Sunday, after a two-week lull, rockets and mortars crashed into a market, a mosque and a huge apartment complex, killing at least 31 people, half ol them children.

After the attack. 200 to 300 demonstrators marched toward the presidential palace, shouting "Death to Rabbani, Death to Masood.”