Disaster if terror threat from Afghanistan not taken seriously: Bilawal

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned if the caretaker government in Kabul and the international community did not take ‘terrorist threat’ from Afghanistan seriously, a ‘disaster’ could occur.

Bilawal said this while briefing the Senate standing committee on foreign affairs on Thursday and briefed the lawmakers about the latest regional situations.

The FM also shared information about his trip to India, relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan and some other important issues.

According to reports, Bilawal told the senators if terrorist threats were not taken seriously by the caretaker government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and the world, there will be serious consequences.

He claimed the threat of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from the soil of Afghanistan had prevented relations between Kabul and Islamabad from developing.

But the caretaker government of Afghanistan has always rejected such claims.

Bilawal added: “We have facts to tell our neighbor. We have the facts that 600 days before the fall of Kabul, there were only five terrorist incidents in Pakistan, but 600 days after the fall of Kabul, this number increased to 50 incidents; so now this is our main concern”.

He insisted on interaction between IEA and Islamabad, but said there was a great need for coordination on the perspective of world including Pakistan about formation of an inclusive government, rights of women and girls, prevention of threats from the soil of Afghanistan to the world and neighboring countries.

According to a report of ToloNews, Bilawal said: “When you have bilateral meetings with countries, they all share the same sort of concerns. They are all asking for economic stability, women’s rights, inclusive government and solution of security concerns in Afghanistan. In my opinion, we do not have full coordination on Afghanistan at the international level, but when bilateral meetings are held, these concerns are discussed”.

However, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the TTP was an internal issue of Pakistan and the country should solve it on its own.

Mujahid added there was stability in Afghanistan and the government of Islamic Emirate stood firm on its word that no threat from Afghan soil posed to other countries.

Mujahid said: “The government of IEA has full control over the situation. Other countries including Pakistan must not tie up their internal issues with Afghanistan. They should solve their problems themselves. The issue of TTP is an internal issue of Pakistan, this country should solve it. Afghanistan has its stability and security”.

aw/ma

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