Foreign Affairs Chief of Taliban Holds Out Olive Branch to Delhi But Has a Warning for India, Pak ‘Using’ Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s foreign minister in an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy who’s tipped to be has advised CNN-News18 that his nation is not going to decide sides between India and Pakistan.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, talking completely from Doha, mentioned the Taliban is eager to foster pleasant relations with India, the clearest signal but that the brand new Taliban rulers are eager to have interaction positively with the Indian authorities.
Replying to some questions in the interview he answered as follows:
How do you see the Taliban administration’s view towards India?
Our overseas coverage is to have good relations with all our neighboring nations and the entire world. The American forces have been in Afghanistan for the final 20 years and after which, they withdrew. We can have pleasant relations with America after this and NATO. So, I feel they need to come again and participate in the rehabilitation of Afghanistan. The same goes for India. We need to proceed pleasant cultural and financial relations with them. Not solely with India, all our neighboring nations, together with Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
There is a fear that the Taliban may be hostile towards India, they may team up with Pakistan and target India. How do you see this assessment? Is this correct or wrong?
What comes up in media is most frequently incorrect, there isn’t any such assertion or indication from our aspect. We need good relations with all our neighboring nations.
There is a fear that Afghanistan could become a sanctuary for terror groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which are a threat to India. What are your comments on that?
There was no risk from Afghanistan to any of our neighbors, together with India all through our historical past and it’ll not occur in any respect. There is little question that there’s a lengthy political and geographical dispute between India and Pakistan. We hope they don’t use Afghanistan for their inner struggle, they have got a lengthy border, they’ll struggle amongst themselves on the border. They shouldn’t use Afghanistan for this and we are not going to let any nation use our land for this.
It’s a strong statement that you will not allow LeT or Jaish to play in your territory. Are you confirming that?
This is our duty. We will not allow anyone to use the Afghan side against any country in the world.
Who do you blame for the Kabul attack a few days ago?
In the media, I saw Daish (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) took responsibility for the attack.
But reports suggest that Haqqani did the blast and ISIS took the responsibility. What do you have to say about that?
This is what enemies of the Afghan people say. It’s not true and it’s completely false. Since Daish has taken responsibility, it is clear that Daish has done it.
You have trained in the Indian Military Academy a few decades ago. Any memory of that place and how was your time when you were in India?
It was during my young age, I was trained there before Russians came to Afghanistan. I was trained at IMA and graduated from there.
There are many Hindus and Sikhs who are still in Afghanistan. Will you help India to evacuate them?
I think there is no requirement to evacuate them. Afghanistan is their homeland and country so they can live peacefully and there will be no harm to their lives. They can live as they were living before. We hope that Hindus and Sikhs who were in Afghanistan and had migrated to India in the last 20 years would come back soon.
How do you see the recognition of the Taliban by world powers and India?
We hope that. On the ground, since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will form the government, we need to have good relations with our neighbors and other countries of the world. When the new government will be announced, we hope all those countries who are related to the region especially the US will support us.
India has done a lot of development work in Afghanistan. What do you think will happen to that?
Development works done by India in Afghanistan are our national assets. We will keep it like that and hope in the future all incomplete work will be finished by India. We invite India to come and start again and complete those projects.
And will you provide security to them?
Yes, if somebody is coming and working in your country then you will have to provide them with security. I don’t think there is any need to ask such questions.
