Both Pakistan and Afghanistan want good relations and regional peace, Taliban’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said at his second press conference in New Delhi, this time with women journalists in attendance.
“Pakistan played its hand badly, its foreign policy a failure”: Former Diplomat KP Fabian on Pak-Afghan conflict
Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian has criticized Pakistan’s foreign policy as a “failure,” following Islamabad’s aggressive actions towards Afghanistan. His comments come amidst heightened tensions between the two countries, with Afghanistan’s Emirate Foreign Minister visiting Delhi during this period, reports 24brussels.
Fabian emphasized that the conflict should not be solely interpreted through the lens of the Durand Line, highlighting Pakistan’s pattern of aggressive behavior. He remarked, “This has happened when, maybe coincidentally, the Afghanistan Emirate Foreign Minister is in Delhi… I think Pakistan played its hand badly, probably was overbearing.”
He noted that the Afghan resistance has escalated tensions, stating, “The proud Afghans resisted, and now the relationship is very bad. Pakistan had carried out some strikes on Kabul, so Afghanistan has retaliated. On the whole, Pakistani policy has been, more or less, a failure.” Furthermore, he indicated that Afghanistan is eager to strengthen its ties with India, a situation that Pakistan finds troubling.
In a related development, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) executed retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line late Saturday night. This action was taken in response to repeated violations of Afghan sovereignty and recent airstrikes on its territory, as reported by the Afghan Ministry of Defence.
The ministry’s statement on social media platform X announced, “Tonight, our armed forces conducted a successful retaliatory operation against the centres of Pakistani forces along the Durand Line in response to the repeated violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty by the Pakistani military and airstrikes on Afghanistan’s territory. The operation concluded around midnight.”
The Afghan Ministry of Defence further cautioned that its forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s borders. “If the Pakistani side violates Afghanistan’s sovereignty again, our armed forces are prepared to defend the country’s borders and will respond decisively,” the statement concluded. The ongoing conflict reflects the deepening rivalry and the complexities surrounding the geopolitical landscape in the region.