ISLAMABAD: There is a danger that the terrorist organisations may enhance their activities and re-enact a 9/11-type surprise as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), TTP, IMU, ETIM, and a dozen other terror groups have deepened their foothold in Afghanistan.
Strangely, the Taliban regime is in a state of denial about the presence of these terrorist organisations, but the UN and independent organisations have frequently challenged the Taliban’s claims.
Former Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan and senior diplomat Ambassador Asif Durrani stated this while speaking to a two-day conclave organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on Wednesday.
He said terrorist organisations have been present in the country even before and after the withdrawal of the US/ NATO troops.
“TTP and ISKP’s frequent attacks in Pakistan, in which Afghan nationals were involved, have been well documented. ISKP’s attacks in Iran, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan further highlight the absolute danger of terrorists using Afghan soil for their targets outside Afghanistan,” he revealed.
Even Afghan cities are not immune from ISKP’s savagery, where minorities are the special target of this terrorist outfit, Ambassador Durrani said, adding if the Taliban regime remains isolated, as was the case during Taliban 1.0, the danger is that the terrorist organisations may enhance their activities and re-enact a 9/11-type surprise.
Therefore, he hinted that leaving Afghanistan to its own devices would be a dangerous option for the world.
Durrani was of the view that Taliban Supremo, Mullah Haibtullah’s edict of banning girls’ education and women’s right to work has created a sense of harassment and helplessness in the country, especially amongst fifty percent women population of Afghanistan.
He said that internationally, such measures have been condemned across the board as repressive and denial of fundamental rights of women—a clear violation of the international human rights conventions to which Afghanistan has been a signatory.
Ironically, these edicts are projected by the Taliban authorities as by the Afghan traditions and Islamic tenets. The cumulative impact of the denial of educational and work rights to Afghan women has created hatred against the Taliban rule at the international level, forbidding governments, especially in the West, from doing normal business with the Taliban government. Durrani said theocratic regime’s behaviour has put 97 percent population of Afghanistan at stake.
It is important to note that soon after the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US imposed a freeze on US$ 9 billion of the Afghan accounts, which have not been released to date.
Speaking to the seminar via video link, former foreign minister and PPP leader, Hina Rabbani Khar said that she and her party strongly favours normalisation of relationship with India. She; however, stressed the need to resolve core issue of Jammu and Kashmir through bilateral talks. “If India shows flexibility, Pakistan should reciprocate”, she pointed out. The PPP leader said TTP is Pakistan’s red line.
Hina Rabbani said that she is the strong proponent of restoring Pak-India trade ties. Regarding Afghanistan, she added that despite general insecurity in Afghanistan, but there is a dire need to engage with the Taliban regime.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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