Daily Times

The statement of Interim Afghan Government (IAG) representative Zabhiullah Mujahid after the Doha conference seems misplaced. While praising the spirit of cooperation at the Doha conference, he said “Afghanistan has come out of isolation”.

None of the country has recognized the IAG as a legitimate ruling regime. Numerous reports from UN bodies have pointed out the collaboration between the unelected regime and banned terrorist organizations.

There are serious concerns in the international community about the unsatisfactory state of human rights, especially the enhanced female-specific restrictions under the watch of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The nature of the bilateral ties of Kabul with Iran cannot be termed comfortable. Disputes related to water-sharing, repatriation of illegal immigrants, and smuggling are still unresolved.

Above all, Pakistan is continuously asking the Taliban-led interim Afghan government to act decisively against the banned TTP including numerous splinter groups and its allied hard-core terrorist groups. The involvement of banned TTP in terrorist attacks on strategic targets, especially the Chinese citizens is a clear reflection of deeper alignment with anti-Pakistan players.

The involvement of banned TTP in attacks on strategic targets is a clear reflection of deeper alignment with anti-Pakistan players.

Bitterness is growing with every passing day due to the intentional inaction of the IAG regime against the leadership of banned terrorist groups operating with full impunity against the common strategic interests of Pakistan and China.

Solace oozing out from the statement of the Afghan spokesperson is beyond comprehension. Either the IAG is oblivious to the unrest stemming from Afghanistan or the unelected regime is cooperating with the regional spoilers. While addressing at SCO summit PM Shahbaz Sharif categorically pre-conditioned regional development with joint efforts against terrorism.

He emphasized a collective fight against all forms of extremism and emphasized respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to self-determination, referencing UNSC resolutions as a framework for resolving regional disputes.

The PM also urged meaningful international engagement with the interim Afghan government to meet their economic and developmental needs while ensuring Afghan soil is not used for terrorism. This reasonably decent diplomatic tone has strongly delivered the message to whom it concerns.

After the bruising elections Indian PM avoided the SCO summit but the Indian Foreign Minister was there. It should be kept in focus that Islamabad has repeatedly pointed out the neighbouring nation for sponsors terrorism inside Pakistan.

In this context, the statement of the prime minister is a clear message to India and those states which import terrorism. Disclosures surfaced after recent breakthroughs in CT operations have also substantiated this bitter fact.

Two high-value wanted members of banned TTP have confessed after the arrest that India provides financial support to the so-called religious as well as ethnic separatist terrorist groups.

For long, India has been using hype on cross-border terrorism against Pakistan to divert attention from its involvement in the sinister spoiling game. It must be kept in focus how India had betrayed and exploited Afghanistan against its neighbours. Despite pro-India policies, New Delhi denied exile to former Afghan president Najibullah in 1992.

For a long, dealing Afghan Taliban as a terrorist group remained a cornerstone of Indian foreign policy. Traditionally India has remained non-cooperative and hostile towards Afghans and Pashtuns.

Typical Anti-Muslim stand of the BJP is reflected in all policies related to Afghans as evident from numerous bitter episodes like suspension of embassy operations, denial of visas to students, harsh treatment of asylum seekers and portrayal of Afghans as uncivilized savage terrorists in Bollywood propaganda movies.

The meaningful rather unnatural comfort level of New Delhi with the unelected IAG regime is another exploitative maneuver to hurt the Sino-Pak interests using Afghanistan. Indian state actors are involved in assassination plots on foreign soil, including USA, Canada and Pakistan.

Nikhil Gupta’s arrest episode has once again proved how India uses terror as a tool of state policy. This context perfectly fits with the SCO speech of PM Shehbaz. Pakistan has repeatedly raised questions about the powers involved in the killings of Chinese nationals and their intended objectives.

Hostile India would do anything to spoil the economic stability of Pakistan. That’s why CPEC and Chinese nationals are at the top of the target list of terrorist groups.

India is financing the banned TTP and the Afghan Taliban regime is providing them safe havens. It is enough to understand the obvious alignment between the IAG and India. Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) has recorded 645 terrorist attacks inside Pakistan during 2023.

As a whole, Pakistan confronted a 70 per cent rise in attacks with an alarming increase of 81 per cent in deaths and 62 per cent in the number of injured. Banned TTP stepped up cross-border attacks after the arrival of the Afghan Taliban in Kabul.

Pakistan cannot allow the Indian-supported groups to play havoc with the peace which was restored with countless sacrifices. Both India and Afghanistan have been told specifically about their unwise involvement with terrorist groups. Regional consensus is a must to dismantle the unholy alliance between the spoiler forces in Afghanistan.

Ther writer is a freelance columnist who can be reached at sikandarnoorani@yahoo.com