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Meeting held at Foreign Ministry in Kabul to discuss India-Pakistan tensions
The Center for Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul has said that escalating tensions between India and Pakistan is having a negative impact on Afghanistan and the region and will continue to do so if a resolution is not found.
At a meeting, to discuss the situation, officials from the center said they did not think the two nuclear-armed countries would go to war, but would find a solution to the problem.
Based on a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Noor Ahmad Noor, the Director of the First Political Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in the meeting that steps taken by India and Pakistan following the recent attack on tourists in Kashmir, have affected the entire region, especially Afghanistan.
He stated that the closure of the Wagah border crossing has significantly impacted Afghanistan’s trade with India.
Noor emphasized that Afghanistan has commonalities and positive engagement with both countries and does not favor war between them.
Economic experts say that Kabul has repeatedly fallen victim to tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi, and that the Islamic Emirate should work on alternative trade routes – especially air corridors and Iran’s Chabahar Port.
Abdul Hadi Farhang, an economic expert, said: “The closure of the Wagah border has a huge impact on the Afghan economy. Of course, Afghanistan has always been a victim of tensions between India and Pakistan, and these countries do not think that Afghanistan has always been at peace [with them] and seeking peace and has always maintained its policy of neutrality.”
The escalation of tensions affects not only Afghanistan but the entire region; however, experts believe that the establishment of a national government with a non-violent policy in Pakistan will put an end to regional conflicts.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following the killing of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.
Mohammad Isa Ishaqzai, an international relations expert, said: “It is very important that the national and liberation forces of Pakistan establish a national government that respects both the life, freedom, and equality of its citizens and the territorial integrity and independence of its neighbors. A prudent policy, non-violence, and a wise policy based on national interests and international law can resolve regional conflicts.”
Meanwhile, officials of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment met with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss transit problems faced by Afghan traders in Pakistan.