NEW DELHI: Taliban have backed India's sovereignty over J&Okay, drawing a blistering response from Pakistan amid its already-tense relationship with Afghanistan that has been exacerbated by heavy border clashes prior to now few days. Regardless of outrage in Pakistan, Taliban officers pointed to the truth that India and Taliban had backed one another's sovereignty and territorial integrity within the joint assertion issued after exterior affairs minister S Jaishankar's assembly with Afghan international minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Because the Afghanistan-Pakistan clashes intensified, Muttaqi, at a press meet within the Afghan embassy right here, accused “sure components” in Pakistan of fomenting hassle with Afghanistan. “Afghanistan is lastly free and is working for peace…if Pakistan does not need good relations and peace, then Afghanistan has different choices as nicely,” he stated.
As a contiguous neighbour, India has a deep curiosity in Afghanistan's improvement: EAM
Pakistan sees Afghanistan as opening a brand new entrance within the strained relationship by endorsing a point out of J&Okay within the joint assertion, as situated in India. Pakistan has lodged a proper protest with Afghanistan, saying the point out violates UNSC resolutions and authorized standing of J&Okay, however New Delhi sees the joint assertion as underscoring its place that India and Afghanistan are contiguous neighbours as a result of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) shares a 106-km-long border with Afghanistan. EAM S Jaishankar, the truth is, reiterated in his remarks on the assembly that as a contiguous neighbour and a well-wisher of the Afghan individuals, India has a deep curiosity in Afghanistan's improvement and progress. Islamabad summoned the Afghanistan ambassador to say that the joint assertion was extremely insensitive. President Asif Ali Zardari accused the Taliban of turning away from the Kashmiri individuals and doing injustice to “historical past in addition to Muslim Ummah”. Denying that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has any presence left in Afghanistan, Muttaqi stated a overwhelming majority of the individuals of Pakistan are peace-loving and wish good relations with Afghanistan. Dozens have been killed within the clashes that erupted whereas Muttaqi was on Indian soil, although the minister stated the state of affairs, after Taliban's retaliation, was underneath management. “Afghanistan will safeguard its borders and its nationwide curiosity, and that's the reason it instantly retaliated to the escalation from Pakistan. We achieved our navy targets final evening, and our buddies, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have expressed that this battle ought to come to an finish, so we now have paused it from our facet in the meanwhile,” stated Muttaqi. In the meantime, Muttaqi assured Kabul will do all it could to make sure security and safety of Indian diplomats and institutions in Afghanistan.
