ISLAMABAD, FEB 04 (DNA) – In a latest development, the United States ruled out peace talks with the Afghan Taliban following a wave of bloody large-scale attacks on Kabul’s key infrastructure including a military academy, army battalion and the Hotel Pearl Continental which killed over 200 people.

Though the Afghan Taliban and Daesh have claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks, the Afghan government is, directly and indirectly, blaming Pakistan for providing sanctuaries and safe havens to the terrorists who are conducting attacks in Kabul .

In his article “Is Kabul falling?” Andre Vitchek, a war correspondent who was stationed in Kabulpainted a gory picture of the Afghan capital, saying “Afghanistan is now facing mortal danger. It has to survive but it is not clear how it can manage.”

In his interview to a foreign journalist, dismayed Afghan President Ashraf Ghaniwarned that after the departure of US , the Afghan capital could fall within three months and the National Army might collapse in six months.

Former president Hamid Karzai took to the Twitter and accused a ‘foreign country’ of harbouring the terrorists to attack Kabul . He also asked for an immediate action against the alleged ‘country’.

The most blatant and glaring accusation came from Afghanistan’s Ambassador and permanent representative at the United Nations, Mahmoud Saikal who on Monday accused Pakistan Army of supplying military equipment to LeT, Taliban and militants involved in Kabul hotel attack. He went on to claim that the terrorists got their training in Pakistan’s province Balochistan.

Though Pakistan has vehemently denied the allegation, the observers believe that Pakistan is not capable enough of doing so, particularly at a time when Islamabad is striving to convince Washington to desist from resorting to military solution, and to find a negotiated settlement of the quagmire.

Afghanistan Times, in its editorial, urged the Trump administration to take direct action and eliminate safe havens of terrorists enjoying sanctuaries in Pakistan. “Despite pressures on Pakistan asserted by the US President Donald Trump’s administration, NATO and regional community, Pakistan-based terrorist groups including the Taliban and the notorious Haqqani network continue as instruments for terrorist and destructive activities across Afghanistan. These terrorist groups have been enjoying safe sanctuaries, training and fundraising centres in big cities of Pakistan including the Tribal Region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.”

Almost all of the analysis and opinion pieces appearing in the International press repeat the same scathing criticism against Pakistan and call for ‘punitive’ action against the country.

Back in Washington, US Senator Rand Paul was all set to introduce a legislation seeking a permanent ban of $2 billion civilian assistance to Pakistan. The bill recommends redirecting the said funds, amounting to $1.28bn from the State Department and $852 million from the United States Agency for International Development to the Highway Trust Fund. Earlier, following President Trump’s January 1 tweet, the United States had already withheld the Coalition Support Fund, military aid and civilian assistance to Pakistan.