Top Pakistan official says Afghanistan using social media accounts with anti-Pak hashtags to malign its image

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 11 (ANI): Pakistan National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf on Wednesday claimed that social media accounts operated from Afghanistan and India were being used to malign the country as Afghan authorities had failed to stop sweeping territorial gains made by the Taliban.

“Attempts are underway to blame Pakistan for Afghanistan’s failures. As the Taliban offensive is increasing, there are campaigns to shift its blame on Pakistan,” Yusuf said while addressing a press conference alongside Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry reported Dawn.

He also said senior Afghan officials, including his Afghan counterpart, were involved in such campaigns, adding that the government would expose everything through data and not fake news. “We won’t expose fake news through fake news,” he added.

Scores of people on social media, including many in Afghanistan have begun a massive anti-Pakistan campaign to protest against their meddling in the war-torn country.

“For the third day in a row, #SanctionPakistan is a top trend on all social media platforms. Afghans are speaking loudly and clearly. Listen world, listen,” said Habib Khan, a prominent Afghan journalist.

People on social media are asking Pakistan to end interference in Afghan affairs, The Afghanistan Times reported.

Hashtags that are trending include “SanctionPakistan”, “Stop Proxy War”, and “Stop Supporting” terrorist group. Former Canadian minister Chris Alexander said these hashtags reflect the determination of Afghan to live in peace. “#SanctionPakistan isn’t just a hashtag trending on Twitter. It reflects the determination of Afghans, Pakistanis & citizens of many other states to live in peace — free from invasion, proxy war & terrorism,” former Canadian minister Chris Alexander tweeted.

On Tuesday, Pakistan claimed that Afghanistan should be held answerable for the “daily instances of terrorism in Pakistan sponsored and coordinated from Afghanistan” instead of regularly pointing fingers and blaming Islamabad for “covert and overt support” to the Taliban.

Afghan Ambassador to the UN Ghulam Isaczai had said that Afghanistan is prepared to provide the Security Council with material evidence in support of its claim that Pakistan is ensuring a supply chain to the Taliban. “Should members of the Security Council want that evidence, we are ready to provide them” Ghulam said.

Refuting Afghanistan allegations, Pakistan information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that Pakistan had nothing to gain from conflict in the neighbouring country, Dawn reported. Pakistan Energy Minister Hammad Azhar termed the allegations against Pakistan “baseless”, saying in a tweet that the Afghan National Security Forces had voluntarily surrendered during battles against militants multiple times, despite having “massive financial support”.

“Afghan government should own its failures. Pakistan strongly desires for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said in a tweet. Similarly, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Shahbaz Gill tweeted: “The Taliban control over 60 per cent of Afghanistan but somehow Afghan officials run a campaign maligning Pakistan for their own failures instead of fighting on the ground. Daily their forces surrender and daily they blame Pakistan. Fight! Don’t do propaganda.”

In recent weeks, Afghan and Pakistan officials have issued statements bringing animosity between the two sides to the fore. The ties have been further strained with Pakistan’s overt and covert support to the Taliban which has been engaged in bloody clashes with the Afghan security forces.

Afghanistan has repeatedly accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorists in its territory and supporting the Taliban offensive against the Afghan government forces. (ANI)