Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict: In first remarks on the conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban, India firmly backed Afghanistan, saying it had a right to exercise sovereignty over its own territories.
India asserted that it was an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbours for its internal failures, rejecting the Pakistani defence minister’s charge that the Afghan Taliban was “fighting a proxy war” on behalf of New Delhi.
In his weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was closely monitoring the situation as a fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan was reached on Wednesday. It came following several days of heavy border fighting and reported air strikes by Pakistan in Kabul and Kandahar that killed dozens on both sides.
In first remarks on the week-long conflict, India firmly backed Afghanistan, saying it had a right to exercise sovereignty over its own territories.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. Pakistan hosts terrorist organisations and sponsors terrorist activities. It is a old habit of Pakistan to put blame on neighbours,” Jaiswal said.
“Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” the MEA spokesperson further said.
India’s firm backing of Afghanistan comes as it resets ties with the Taliban, despite New Delhi yet to formally recognise the regime in Kabul. India, however, announced it would reopen its embassy in Kabul as Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi made his maiden trip to New Delhi.
Jaiswal said the transition of India’s technical mission in Kabul to an embassy “will happen in the next few days”.
