Afghanistan Peace Process Jeopardised by 'Presence of Taliban Fighters' in Pakistan: Afghan Foreign Ministry
The Afghan leadership was irked after videos which emerged from Pakistan showed Taliban deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar - who arrived in the country to hold talks with the Imran Khan government - addressing a gathering in Karachi and claiming that their fighters are present in Pakistan.
Kabul, December 25: The peace process in Afghanistan is being jeopardised by the "presence of Taliban fighters" in Pakistan, said the Afghan Foreign Ministry in a strongly-worded statement issued on Friday. The reaction from Kabul came a couple of days after Taliban leaders were seen disclosing in a video that their militants are present in border areas of Pakistan.
"The overt presence and activities of Afghan insurgent elements and their leaders in Pakistani territory clearly violate Afghanistan's national sovereignty and continue to cause crisis and instability in the region," the Foreign Ministry said. Afghan Forces Kill 28 Taliban Terrorists in Uruzgan, Kandahar Provinces.
The statement further noted that the "closure of terrorist sanctuaries" is vital for establishing long-term peace in Afghanistan. Till the insurgent activities continues, the region will continue to be infested by instability, it said, while calling for the global community's "genuine cooperation" in the fight against terrorism.
Statement Issued by Afghan Foreign Ministry
The Afghan leadership was irked after videos which emerged from Pakistan showed Taliban deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar - who arrived in the country to hold talks with the Imran Khan government - addressing a gathering in Karachi and claiming that their fighters are present in Pakistan.
Baradar further claimed in the video that all decisions pertaining to the peace process are being finalised after consulting the group's leadership present in Pakistan and the Taliban's clerical counsel which is also based in the country.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 25, 2020 06:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).