‘Baseless’: Taliban reject Pakistan's claim about ‘security situation’ in Afghanistan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The interim Taliban administration Thursday again rejected Pakistan’s claims about the "security situation" in Afghanistan.

“We refuse Pakistani officials' allegations about the security situation in Afghanistan, and we call them baseless,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Kabul-based administration.

Emphasizing that the Taliban won’t allow anyone to “use the territory of Afghanistan against another country,” Mujahid tweeted: “If there is any concern, it should be shared with the officials of the Islamic Emirate face to face, rather than making unnecessary claims in the media and confusing people's minds.”

Taliban call its administration the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan.

Kabul’s response came after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday asked the interim Afghan government to honor its "commitment" of not letting “terrorist” groups operate from its soil, offering Islamabad's assistance in curbing the "menace of terrorism."

Addressing a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Zardari said his country expects the Afghan interim government to take action against the terrorist organizations and honor their commitment made with the international community under the 2020 Doha agreement.

“In the past, we had faced the threats and together will face them,” he added.

Pakistan, he said, was ready to assist them as they had the capacity issues to deal with such threats.

Observing an increase in the terrorist incidents after the Taliban's storming back to power in Kabul in Aug. 2021, he warned that Islamabad has the right to "respond" if the attacks continue.

Kabul has denied allegations from Islamabad and has instead asked Pakistan to tread a path of peace, instead of war.

“Obviously, such claims are not in the interest of both countries and people,” Mujahid said on Thursday.