Shamim Shahid

PESHAWAR.. Afghanistan’s ministry for foreign affairs in a statement has reacted strongly to the Asif Durrani’s recent remarks on the repeat of 9/11, as world turn back to Afghanistan, terming a move of provocation and jeopardising relations between the two countries neighbours to each others.

Zia Ahamd Takal the Taliban deputy spokesman for foreign ministry in a statement issued at Kabul on Tuesday, said “Mr. Durrani should know that it is the responsibility of diplomats to ensure that provocative media statements do not jeopardize the relations of the two countries’.

The Taliban leaders governing Kabul, issued the strong worded reaction at the time when skirmishes, closure and exchange of hot words between security personnel of both the neighbouring countries at Torkham and other crossing points is the routine matter. Bilateral trade is on decline whereas Pakistan is accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuaries to militants who are carrying out deadly terror acts especially attacks against security forces.

The statement said that the recent comments made by Pakistan’s Special Representative Asif Durrani, concerning Afghanistan’s security and economic situation are both provocative and misaligned with the ground realities, seemingly aimed at misleading the public perception regarding Afghanistan. “ In fact, the issues and concerns he attributed to Afghanistan are more likely to be present in Pakistan.

Afghanistan is now a safe and stable country, focused on achieving economic self-sufficiency by utilising its own resources rather than being reliant on foreign loans and aid. The Afghan government has successfully neutralized the ISIS-KP, insurgent group, within Afghanistan”, the statement said “However, addressing ISIS-kp hideouts along the theoretical Durand Line could lead to the complete elimination of this threat. It’s worth noting that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issue is an internal matter of Pakistan, requiring a domestic solution”, the statement further said.

The Afghan government has already shown its goodwill to by taking tangible actions to foster positive relations. Thereafter, Pakistan’s effective agencies should adopt rational and pragmatic approaches to address this issue. Mr. Durrani should know that it is the responsibility of diplomats to ensure that provocative media statements do not jeopardize the relations of the two countries.

According to Pakistani media Asif Durrani the special envoy of Pakistan to Afghanistan in a meeting with former Pakistani ambassadors said on Sunday that after the Ukraine war and Palestinian genocide, the priorities of the international players changed.

“In fact, Afghanistan is no more in the news. Forget about front or back pages, even in the inner pages Afghanistan is absent.” I think it can push back Afghanistan to pre-9/11 conditions and which in fact then give birth to 9/11,” Durrani warned.

Pakistan’s special envoy Asif Durrami in response to a media querry regarding his assessment on the Taliban rule and their possible international acceptance, Durrani was of the view that they were moving in that direction. “We should not forget that they are faced with tremendous challenges. Number 1, they are not recognised by any country, secondly, when they came to power, their coffers were empty, thirdly, they were not expecting of a meltdown of Ashraf Ghani government.”. “On the balance, if you look at it during the past 3 years, I think the security situation in Afghanistan has improved, there is less corruption, which is internationally acknowledged,” he further said.