NEW DELHI, Oct 10 : Afghan Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi today urged India and Pakistan to reopen the Wagah-Attari land route that was closed post the Pahalgam terror attack. He also said that India and Afghanistan should speak to the US, to remove the obstacles to the path of full operationalisation of the Chabahar port in Iran.
Addressing a press briefing at the Afghan embassy in the capital, post holding talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, FM Muttaqi also claimed the Afghan Taliban government has “brought peace” to Afghanistan and that Pakistan-based terror groups acting against India, like the LeT and JeM, have moved out of Afghanistan.
To a question on this, he said, “We could have acted against them (Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed) if they were in Afghanistan, but now they are not there at all in Afghanistan, not an inch. In the four years that we have come they have moved out of Afghanistan.”
He added that there has been peace in Afghanistan in the last nine months, minus any incidents of terrorism.
On reopening of the land trade route, he said that the Wagah route is near to Afghanistan and all the trade with India would come through that. “We want that Pakistan and India do not shut that route. It is the right of the people (of Afghanistan), it should not be closed.” He added that trade via the land route is cheaper. “We appeal to both to open the Wagah route so that trade can increase,” he added.
On India resuming diplomatic activities in Kabul by giving the technical mission the status of an Embassy, he said that ties between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and India “have been increasing every day” over the past four years. “India has decided to increase the status of the mission in Kabul, and we are moving slowly and reaching the normal level,” he added.
Muttaqi said he had a detailed discussion with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier in the day on political, diplomatic, regional, security and people to people issues.
Following New Delhi’s decision to upgrade the Kabul mission, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is to send its diplomats to New Delhi, he added.
“We have also agreed to strengthen the air corridors and strengthen air trade,” Muttaqi added. He said EAM Jaishankar has pledged to broaden the health activities in Afghanistan, and also voiced appreciation for India’s assistance during last month’s quake in Kunar province.
“Both sides have agreed to create a trade committee to remove any obstacles and challenges to trade,” he said. Muttaqi said the Afghan Taliban regime has opened up the country to investments in the area of energy, minerals, infrastructure, and invited the Indian side to explore work in these areas. The two sides also talked about security concerns and had detailed discussion on it.
He said the Islamic Emirate has in the past four years of its rule “proved that the territory of Afghanistan will not be used against others, and we have remained true to it”.
Both sides have agreed to increase efforts to tackle the danger of narcotics trade.
On Chabahar port, he said that the port in Iran is a “good path for connectivity”. “India and Afghanistan should try to remove all the obstacles to it, as the US has placed obstacles. Let us both talk to the US, so both can use the connectivity path. It is an important route and can boost trade, he added.
In the field of sports, he said India has always helped and cooperated with Kabul and their sportspersons have benefitted a lot, and Afghan teams are bringing good news in every field.
(UNI)
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