Afghan VP slams Pakistan for providing supplies to Taliban

Kabul [Afghanistan] August 1 (ANI): Afghanistan’s first Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Sunday again lashed out at Pakistan for the deteriorating situation in his country and said that the neighbouring country had no intention of engaging in meaningful negotiations.

Saleh, during a Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board meeting, said Afghanistan is under an invasion sponsored by Pakistan, which is providing supplies to the Taliban. “US and NATO are assisting Afghanistan but who is matching the NATO supply on the other side?” Saleh said referring to Pakistan. He said, “Let’s call a spade a spade with them.”

In a tweet, Saleh also said that “Afghanistan is under a full-scale invasion from the Taliban terrorists who have an organized backing & sponsorship in Pakistan.” “The Taliban use Doha office for deception. They have no intention to engage in meaningful negotiations,” he added. The remarks came at a time when the Afghanistan government has stopped all development projects in the country following a reduction in revenues and escalation in security expenses.

Taliban have intensified their offensive against civilians, Afghan defence, and security forces as the foreign troops are withdrawing from the war-torn country. Over the last few weeks, they captured several districts in Afghanistan including Takhar, the country’s northeastern province. The extremist group issued diktats like ordering women to not leave home alone and men to grow their beards.

Afghanistan’s first Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Tuesday lashed out at Pakistan saying that its army is the “architect and strategic master” of the ongoing terror invasion of Afghanistan. The Afghan government has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban and preventing the Afghan forces from carrying out military operations against them. Amid the ongoing Taliban offensive, the Afghan Vice President said the propaganda stunts “will not change the reality” of Pakistan.

The ties between the two sides have deteriorated since the daughter of the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan was briefly kidnapped on her way home in Islamabad on July 16. Thereafter, Kabul recalled its ambassador from Islamabad, demanding punishment for those responsible.

In July, Saleh said that the diplomatic community of Pakistan is working hard to painting and decorating a fictional image for the Taliban. “Pakistan’s diplomatic community is working hard painting and decorating a fictional image for Talibs. On the ground, however, Talibs 2.0 is nothing but an Afghanistan replica of IS-K and Al-Qaeda, providing bases to foreign “good and bad terrorists” The “good” LeT is their buddies in allegiance,” Saleh had said in a tweet.

Previously, Saleh had said Pakistan is giving air support to the Taliban and threatened to hit back if Afghan forces try to retake the Spin Boldak border area. (ANI)