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Volatile Afghan situation is out of Islamabad’s control: Pakistan’s NSA
Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf has expressed concern over the worsening situation in Afghanistan, terming it “extremely bad and out of Pakistan’s control”.
Briefing the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Friday, he warned of an impending risk of an attack by Tehreek-i-Taliban, who, he said, could enter Pakistan from Afghanistan disguised as refugees.
The national security adviser stressed that the UN Refugee Agency needed to set up camps for Afghan refugees.
According to Pakistan’s Dawn News, Yusuf however, denied the presence of the Taliban in Pakistan and said the reports were “Indian propaganda”.
Yusuf said Pakistan was very concerned about the changing situation following the US troop withdrawal and that his country would be adversely affected by the growing violence.
“The region’s peace is conditional on peace in Afghanistan,” he said.
Yusuf further said that the Afghan government needed to work on improving relations with Pakistan if it wanted peace in the country, Dawn News reported.
“[Also], I don’t see the US offering a financial package to Afghanistan and in that case, only Pakistan can provide a trade route to the landlocked country,” he said.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also briefed the committee, saying that Pakistan intended to suggest power sharing in Afghanistan to avoid civil war.
He added that in case of a civil war in Afghanistan, Pakistan would not be able to handle the influx of refugees.
The foreign minister said Taliban objected to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s participation in negotiations, adding that they were “intelligent and had grown wise” over time, Dawn News reported. He added that Taliban had changed after Doha talks.
He warned that in case the situation in “Afghanistan goes back to what it was in the 1990s”, Pakistan would have to deal with a refugee influx.
In this regard, he said, Pakistan would be monitoring illegal border crossings and was also fencing its borders.
“We have to manage things in a better manner to control terrorism,” the minister remarked.
Qureshi added that he, the prime minister and security officials had had meetings with the Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras so as to make it clear to them that “there is no favourite in Afghanistan”.
“We want to play the role of a good neighbour and are not thinking about strategic depth [in Afghanistan],” he said. “Our policy on Afghanistan is clear. We want peace and stability in the country and not repeat our mistakes.”
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Turkey invites IEA’s commerce minister to Antalya Diplomacy Forum
Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Thursday with Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul. During the meeting, Ayyıldız invited the Minister of Industry and Commerce to participate in Turkey’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry, the meeting also emphasized the economic, trade, and historical relations between Kabul and Ankara, as well as the export of Afghan goods to Turkey.
The two sides discussed increasing trade volume between the two countries, strengthening economic relations, facilitating and enhancing commercial activities, cooperation in road transport along various routes, activating the Lapis Lazuli Corridor, and regional cooperation.
Azizi, while thanking Turkey for inviting the Islamic Emirate to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, introduced the Ministry’s technical team to ensure better coordination and planning.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an international conference held annually in Turkey, aimed at examining global challenges and finding joint solutions through dialogue and diplomacy. It hosts representatives from more than 100 countries, including presidents, leaders, high-ranking officials, international organizations, analysts, and media from various countries.
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Afghan, Malaysian PMs discuss situation between Kabul and Islamabad
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, in a telephone conversation initiated by Mohammad Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, discussed regional developments, particularly the recent situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said in a statement that Hassan Akhund stated during the call that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s principled position is clear and that it believes in resolving issues through mutual understanding and cooperation.
Hassan Akhund added that during Eid al-Fitr, at the request of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, the Islamic Emirate demonstrated its goodwill by respecting a pause in defensive operations.
He stated that violence benefits no party and that actions that increase tensions should be avoided, emphasizing that wisdom and rationality must guide efforts to resolve problems.
He also expressed concern over rising regional tensions following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Malaysian Prime Minister also expressed concern about the regional situation and hoped that the temporary halt in hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan would continue, and that existing problems could be resolved through sincere negotiations and understanding.
He added that Malaysia aims to play a positive role in facilitating understanding between both parties.
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Iranian naval commander Alireza Tangsiri killed in airstrike, says Israel
Israel’s defence minister says that an Israeli air strike has killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ navy.
The killing was carried out “last night, in a precise and lethal operation” and targeted other “senior officers of the naval command”, said Israel Katz, in a video statement.
“The man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping was blown up and eliminated,” he claimed.
Since the start of the joint US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, Israel has announced the assassination of several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic ‘s powerful security chief, Ali Larijani.
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said there was no official Iranian confirmation yet of Tangsiri’s killing.
“But if it’s true it’s going to be another major blow for a country that has already experienced a lot of military commanders being killed” since the war began, he said.
The head of the Basij paramilitary forces, Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib were also assassinated in Israeli attacks.
Moreover, in recent days, Israeli forces have carried out several strikes targeting the naval assets of Iran.
Last week, Israeli airstrikes hit several Iranian naval ships in the Caspian Sea, including ones equipped with missile systems, support vessels, and patrol craft.
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