ISLAMABAD: With India stepping up its diplomatic actions in Afghanistan’s peace course of because the US prepares for the troops withdrawal, a jittery Pakistan has stated that at occasions it feels that New Delhi’s presence within the war-torn nation is probably “bigger than it must be”.
Pakistan Overseas Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s remarks to Afghanistan’s Tolo information channel comes days after Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Particular Consultant for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday and exchanged views on the war-ravaged nation and the area.
“Clearly, you’ve sovereign relations and you’ve got bilateral relations and you’ve got each proper to have sovereign and bilateral relations with India. You will have commerce with India. They arrive and perform growth work there, that is fully superb with us,” Qureshi stated in the course of the interview which will likely be telecast on Saturday.
“However at occasions we really feel that their presence is probably bigger than it must be as a result of they do not share a border with you,” he stated, in keeping with the excerpts of the interview posted by the information channel on its Twitter deal with.
When requested whether or not India’s presence in Afghanistan bothers Pakistan, Qureshi stated, “Sure, In the event that they use your (Afghan) soil in opposition to us, it bothers me.” Requested how India is utilizing Afghan soil for anti-Pakistan actions, he alleged: “Sure, they’re. By finishing up terrorist actions.” Through the interview, Qureshi additionally sought to absolve the Taliban for the spike in violence in Afghanistan, saying it could be an “exaggeration” responsible the rebel group for the bloodshed.
“Once more, if you happen to attempt to create this impression that the violence is excessive due to the Taliban once more, that might be an exaggeration. Why do I say that? Aren’t there different parts over there who’re taking part in the position of a spoiler?” On a query on the forces chargeable for the violence, Qureshi stated: “Daesh (the Islamic State), like forces inside Afghanistan who achieve from the conflict financial system, who need to perpetuate their energy, who will not be seeing past their nostril and simply need to hold on to energy.”
The Taliban and the Afghan authorities are holding direct talks to finish 19 years of conflict that has killed tens of 1000’s of individuals and ravaged varied elements of the nation.
The intra-Afghan started because the US and the Taliban signed a landmark deal in Doha on February 29, 2020 following a number of rounds of negotiations to deliver lasting peace in war-torn Afghanistan and permit US troops to return house.
India has been keenly following the evolving political state of affairs after the US signed the peace cope with the Taliban. The deal supplied for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, successfully drawing curtains on America’s longest conflict.
India has been a significant stakeholder within the peace and stability of Afghanistan. It has already invested near USD three billion in assist and reconstruction actions within the nation.
India has been supporting a nationwide peace and reconciliation course of which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
Throughout his go to to Qatar, Jaishankar on Tuesday met US particular envoy Khalilzad in Doha and exchanged views on the war-torn nation and the area. Khalilzad briefed him on the current developments in Afghanistan.
The minister additionally met senior members of the Qatari management and mentioned the problem of Afghanistan amongst different issues as Doha is concerned within the Afghan peace course of.
In March, Afghan overseas minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar visited India throughout which Jaishankar conveyed to him India’s long-term dedication in direction of a peaceable, sovereign and steady Afghanistan.
India on Thursday stated its imaginative and prescient for Afghanistan is pushed by an method of pro-development and pro-democracy and that it’s for the Afghan individuals to evaluate every of their companions on the premise of previous actions.
In early March, Jaishankar and Khalilzad spoke over the cellphone and mentioned the developments pertaining to the Afghan peace talks.
In the identical month, Jaishankar attended the ninth Coronary heart of Asia Ministerial Convention in Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, the place he voiced ‘grave concern’ over violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan and stated that there’s a want for a real ‘double peace’ in and across the war-torn nation.
Jaishankar additionally stated that India has been supportive of all of the efforts being made to speed up the dialogue between the Afghan authorities and the Taliban, together with intra-Afghan negotiations.
