Afghanistan has again stated that Pakistan is the principal force behind supporting the Taliban and is waging a “proxy war”, and the “brains of management” of conflict within Afganistan.
Afghanistan’s National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib told BBC in its HardTalk program on Friday (July 23)”We think, yes, it is the Taliban doing the work …but it is a proxy war and Pakistan is the brains of management, and only Pakistan can provide support the Taliban.”
Mohib also said, “Taliban have had safe havens in Pakistan” which the Pakistanis have not denied and they have also given “health care for the injured and supplied ammunition,”.
“The US announced the exit this year, whereas Taliban have enjoyed safe havens in Pakistan for the last 20 years,” Mohib remarked when asked about Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent statement that the US withdrawal of forces has boosted the Taliban’s military prospects.
He also made it clear that Pakistan had the capacity to stop the flow of jihadists into Afghanistan but chose not to do so, and that the Taliban lacks the legitimacy to claim to be fighting for Muslims and the cause of Islam.
“There is already an Islamic system in Afghanistan, it is the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan we have ….. The war in Afghanistan has no religious legitimacy,” Mohib said.
“There is no religious ground for the Taliban to stand on anymore. What they are doing is killing Muslims. They are killing the fellow Afghans, they are destroying Afghan property, and to give it a religious flavor or spin is just not acceptable,” the NSA asserted.
In the given situation, he said authorities in Pakistan can help Afghanistan by putting an end to providing “support” to the Taliban. “…it does not require their military to be engaged.” (in fighting Taliban), he added.
He urged Pakistani leaders to make reasonable statements about improving relations with Afghanistan, but when it came to the army, he said, “We have heard good words from some Pakistani leaders…but their military, particularly the intelligence agency (ISI), continues to act as the spoiler of peace.”
Hamdullah Mohib said that the withdrawal of the US troops could lead to three scenarios in Afghanistan, “One, we get into a military stalemate for a long time and the Afghan people will continue to suffer Second, perhaps Afghanistan gets fractured and civil war ensues; and the third scenario and desirable scenario is we enter into negotiations,” he said.
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