New Delhi: Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is on a landmark visit to New Delhi, assured India on Friday that Afghan soil will never be allowed to be used against any country.
Taking a swipe at Pakistan, notorious for sponsoring terrorism, Muttaqi also warned Islamabad that the “courage of Afghans should not be tested.”
The stern warning comes in the backdrop of Pakistan launching cross-border strikes, targeting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Kabul.
At a time when India and Afghanistan’s Taliban government are in the middle of their first high-level engagement since 2021, Pakistan said its patience had run out over continued use of Afghan territory by militants targeting Pakistan.
Muttaqi made no bones about his feeling on the Pakistani strikes.
“There has been an attack near the border in remote areas. We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years. The courage of Afghans should not be tested. If someone wants to do this, they should ask the Soviet Union, America and NATO, so that they can explain that it is not good to play games with Afghanistan,” Muttaqi said during a media briefing after a meeting with India’s External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar at Hyderabad House.
Jaishankar spoke about the shared challenge of cross-border terrorism, sending a veiled message to Pakistan.
“Excellency, we have a common commitment towards growth and prosperity; however, these are endangered by the shared threat of cross-border terrorism that both our nations face. We must coordinate efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,”
With relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan having nosedived in recent months, India is seeking to expand its relation with the Taliban, though New Delhi is yet to formally recognise the Taliban government.
Following the meeting with Muttaqi, Jaishankar said India would reopen its embassy in Kabul.
“We had a detailed discussion on security cooperation. We will not allow Afghan territory to be used against any country. Both sides will remain in touch on this issue,” Muttaqi said, welcoming India’s decision to continue and expand its development projects and announcing that a Joint Trade Committee would be formed to remove barriers to bilateral trade.
India has invested over $3 billion in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, continues to deliver humanitarian aid and maintain development projects.