NEW DELHI: Amid the border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, India on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Islamabad, accusing it of sponsoring terrorism and deflecting blame for its own failures.
“We are closely monitoring the situation,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “Three things are clear – first, Pakistan hosts terrorist organizations and sponsors terrorist activities; second, it is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbours for its own internal failures; and third, Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson reiterated that “India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.” Answering another question, he said India will upgrade its technical mission to an embassy in the coming days.
The spokesperson’s remarks came in response to Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s provocative accusation that the Taliban government in Kabul was “fighting a proxy war” on behalf of India. Asif also alleged that Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had made “ulterior plans” during his recent six-day visit to New Delhi. The trip, his first to India, was aimed at stepping up ties between the two countries.
The diplomatic row also coincides with a fragile 48-hour ceasefire that came into effect late Wednesday between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following days of fierce cross-border clashes. The fighting has left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead on both sides. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said both sides would “make sincere efforts to find a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue through constructive dialogue” during the truce.
The Taliban confirmed the ceasefire through spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, who stated on X that Afghan forces had been instructed to respect the truce “unless any aggression takes place.”
The week-long fighting had erupted after Taliban forces launched attacks near the southern Afghan-Pakistan border, prompting retaliatory strikes from Islamabad. Pakistan continues to accuse Kabul of harboring militants from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge the Taliban denies.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani military announced on Thursday that 34 TTP militants were killed in intelligence-based operations across North and South Waziristan and Bannu districts. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said his government was open to talks with Kabul, stating, “The ball is in their court.”
The United Nations has also called for a permanent end to the hostilities. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the ceasefire and urged both sides to protect civilians, noting the significant toll the fighting has taken.
