KABUL (SW) – Analysts believe Pakistan seeks to exploit geopolitical and strategic gains through the Taliban – U.S. deal in Afghanistan.
In conversation with Salam Watandar, Muhibullah Sharif, an expert on political affairs, said Islamabad seeks privileges from Washington through the deal. He said that Pakistan has proved to the world that the Taliban is not an independent entity, but a proxy power under its control.
Mohammad Naeem, another analyst on defense affairs, said that Pakistan had similar proxy figures within the Afghan government until few years back that were peddling Islamabad’s policies here. He added that many of these figures are no longer in power, hence Pakistan seeks to destabilize Afghanistan and bring it back under influence with a weak government.
This comes as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan submitted a formal protest to the government of Pakistan in regards with the recent remarks by its foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ‘strongly condemned’ the recent remarks made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on the domestic affairs of Afghanistan”, it said referring to his recent remarks.
‘The Government of Afghanistan believes that relying on policies of good-neighborliness, Pakistan needs to take practical steps towards enhancing bilateral ties in various areas and refrain from making such irresponsible statements regarding the internal affairs of Afghanistan’, it said.
Qureshi had urged the Afghan government to release the Taliban prisoners ahead of the intra-Afghan talks.
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