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Afghanistan has other means if peaceful efforts with Pakistan do not succeed: Muttaqi
Afghanistan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi called off plans to visit the Taj Mahal and returned to New Delhi to address a news conference
New Delhi: Afghanistan wants to resolve border clashes with Pakistan through dialogue but has recourse to “other means” if peaceful efforts do not succeed, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday.
Hours after the clashes resulted in the deaths of dozens of Afghan and Pakistani troops, Muttaqi dismissed Pakistan’s allegations that Afghanistan is harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and said the Afghan people are fully united in the face of “external interference”.
Muttaqi, the first senior Taliban functionary to visit India, called off plans to visit the Taj Mahal and returned to New Delhi to address a news conference following fierce fighting along the Durand Line, the British-mandated border established in 1893 that is not recognised by Afghanistan.
The overall situation is now under control but Afghanistan won’t tolerate any violation of its sovereignty, he said. “The policy of Islamic Emirate is to resolve all problems through discussions and understanding. We want to have zero tension and if they [Pakistan] don’t want that, then Afghanistan has other means,” Muttaqi said.
While many elements among the Pakistani people, politicians and government favour good relations with Afghanistan, there are “specific elements that are trying to spoil the situation”, he said.
On Thursday, Pakistan conducted an air strike in Kabul that reportedly targeted TTP commander Noor Wali Mehsud but he survived. The Taliban accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s “sovereign territory” and this was followed by clashes along the border.
Afghan officials have said their forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in border operations, though Pakistan put the figure at 23. Pakistan said its forces killed 200 Taliban cadres and captured 19 Afghan border posts.
Muttaqi said Afghanistan will secure its territory and airspace at any cost. “There were violations [of our sovereignty] and we gave immediate responses to them. In the night, there were retaliatory operations in which we achieved our objectives,” he said.
Several friendly countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, contacted Kabul and asked for the fighting to be halted, Muttaqi said. “From our side, we have stopped the fighting and the situation is under control. We want good relations. Our doors for talks are open,” he said.
Afghanistan is committed to peacefully resolving all issues but “if some people don’t want to resolve this episode, Afghanistan has the capacity to protect its territory and airspace”, he said.
“Afghanistan has another great speciality - that even if we have internal differences, when the issue of external interference comes up, all the Afghan people, the government and clerics get united to confront it and defend the country,” he added.
Dismissing Pakistan’s accusations about the TTP having bases on Afghan soil, Muttaqi questioned how fighters could cross the border and carry out attacks up to 500 km inside Pakistan. “Pakistan has more forces than us, they are ahead in technology, they have strong intelligence. Why can’t they themselves control this area?” he said.
Muttaqi cited Afghanistan’s history to assert that his country will overcome external forces. “We have a policy of wanting good relations with all countries. There was fighting in Afghanistan for more than 40 years. The Soviet Union came and it was defeated,” he said.
“The troops of 50 countries came with the US and NATO and there was fighting for 20 years and now Afghanistan is independent and standing on its own feet.”
