War of words continues between Afghanistan and Pakistan

New Delhi: The affiliation between Afghanistan and Pakistan is stressed as Pakistan asks Afghanistan not to allow its land for terrorist activities and to harbour. Afghanistan rejects it.

The Pakistan concern has been echoed by a US State Department spokesperson who, in a Press Conference, said, "The Pakistani people have suffered tremendously from terrorist attacks. Pakistan has a right to defend itself from terrorism."

Ned Price said at a press conference that "Taliban have repeatedly broken" their promises. "And meanwhile, we continue, just as I said a moment ago, to call on the Taliban to uphold the same commitment they have made to see that Afghan soil is never again used as a launchpad for international terrorist attacks.

"These are among the very commitments the Taliban have been unable or unwilling to fulfil to date," Price said.

A strong statement from US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price comes two days after Pakistan’s Nat­ional Security Committee (NSC) — the highest civil-military forum for decisions on national security in Pakistan took a resolve to crush terrorist groups operating against Pakistan.

"No country will be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists, and Pakistan reserves all rights to safeguard her people." The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key ministers, services chiefs, and top intelligence officials.

Afghans reject it

Afghanistan's ruling Taliban rejected the remarks by a US State Department spokesman and said that the Islamic Emirate is committed to all its promises.

The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi, said there is no evidence to show that Afghan soil will be used against any other country.

"The Islamic Emirate controls all territory of the country, and there is no evidence to show that there is any action from our country towards other countries and their activities," Karimi said.

While quoting different Afghan analysts on the current situation, Tolo News agencies said that the analysts expressed mixed views on the commitments of the Islamic Emirate and the US remarks.

"The US still interrupts Afghan borders. The US aircraft are still in the Afghan air space," said Omid Safi, head of the Rawand-e-Pishraft Mili.

"The Islamic Emirate has fulfilled all of its commitments and has not yet violated them. And terrorist groups have not yet acted against any neighbouring country or another country," said Kamran Aman, a political analyst.

Recent months have witnessed an uptick in militant-related activities in Pakistan and skirmishes with Afghan troops on its border. The TTP has increased its attacks in Pakistan on security positions after it was banned by Pakistan when its ceasefire failed.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group has between 7,000 to 10,000 fighters in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.

Another Pakistan analyst said, "The Taliban has not taken any serious action against any militant group on its soil except Islamic State, which challenges its writ directly."

The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) said Pakistan security forces lost at least 282 personnel during 2022 in attacks that included IED ambushes, suicide attacks, and raids on security posts, mainly in the Pakistan-Afghan border regions.

"The year 2022 ended with the deadliest month (thus far) for Pakistan's security personnel over a decade, with the emergence of a new terror triad comprising TTP, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Daesh-Afghanistan as the biggest threat to the country," the CRSS report said.