New Delhi: Strange as it may sound, the Taliban on Wednesday condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 innocent tourists and injuries to several others on Tuesday. The Taliban has said that such acts undermine efforts to maintain regional security and stability.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan condoled the loss of lives in a social media post.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan categorically condemns the recent attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir, and expresses our condolences to the bereaved families. Such incidents undermine efforts to ensure regional stability and security,” it was posted on X.
Though India does not officially recognise the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it has sent millions of dollars worth of aid for development projects in that war-ravaged country. The Taliban has reciprocated by granting safety to Indian-origin people still living in Afghanistan. No Indians were attacked, even when the Taliban took over the reigns of the country in 2021, after the hasty withdrawal by US forces.
Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan has deteriorated since then.
The Taliban’s statement comes at a time when ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been unsettled due to militancy and expulsion of Afghan refugees. There have, however, been efforts to rebuild the relationship after the two countries agreed to not allow the use of their territories for any terror attacks against each other.
The agreement was reached on April 19 after an intensified drive against illegal Afghan refugees, with Pakistan making it clear that the only way for Afghans to stay in the country was to have entered legally with a visa.
Kabul has, however, described India as an “important” regional and economic power.
In January this year, Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri met in Dubai. During this meeting, the Afghan side assured India that it does not pose a threat to any nation and expressed hope for raising the level of diplomatic relations with India.
India, while pitching for the formation of a truly inclusive government in Kabul, has insisted that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
The Taliban’s statement is of particular interest as three men suspected to be involved in the gruesome attack were identified as Pakistani nationals Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha.
