Pakistan strongly rejects Afghanistan’s ‘baseless allegations’ of training Daesh militants

Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Sunday firmly rejected “baseless allegations” made by Acting Afghanistan Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, who accused Islamabad of arming and training Daesh militants.

In a statement earlier this week, Stanikzai claimed that Daesh has training centers in Pakistan where militants prepare for subversive activities in Afghanistan.

Pakistan air strikes kill 46 in Afghanistan: Taliban spokesman claims

Asif responded to the accusations on social media platform X, stating, “Pakistan categorically rejects these baseless, fabricated allegations by Acting Afghanistan DFM Stanikzai, which appear to be an attempt to shift blame.”

He emphasised that Afghanistan continues to be a hub for ISKP recruitment and facilitation in 2024.

The defense minister urged the interim Afghan authorities to fulfill their commitments to the international community by dismantling terrorist infrastructure and taking clear, verifiable steps to prevent Afghan territory from being used against other nations.

Afghan Taliban target ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for airstrikes: Afghan defence ministry

Asif added, “The interim Afghan authorities are well advised to act on their assurances to the international community by dismantling terrorist infrastructure and taking visible and verifiable actions to prevent Afghan soil from being exploited against other countries.”

Pakistan has repeatedly accused neighbouring Afghanistan of harbouring and supporting militant groups that conduct cross-border attacks.

Pakistan recently conducted air strikes in an eastern border province of Afghanistan to target militant hideouts.

The Afghan defense ministry issued a statement condemning these strikes, describing them as “clear aggression.”

“The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered. We consider the defense of our territory and sovereignty to be an inalienable right,” the statement said, referring to the Taliban authorities’ term for the government.

In response, afghan Taliban fighters targeted “several points” in Pakistan, days after Pakistani aircraft carried out aerial bombardment.

The statement from the Defence Ministry did not specify Pakistan but said the strikes were conducted “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’” - an expression used by Afghan authorities to refer to a border with Pakistan.

Afghanistan has for decades rejected the border, known as the Durand Line, drawn by British colonial authorities in the 19th century through the mountainous and often lawless tribal belt between what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan.