Deutsche Welle: The Taliban is instead trying to close ties with India, Pakistan’s arch-enemy. Recently, several reports have found such indications. Deutsche Welle said in a report
In August 2021, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. U.S. and foreign troops had virtually retreated by then. Meanwhile, the then chief of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, Lt. Gen. Faiz Hamid, was seen in Kabul at that time. A picture of him talking to the Taliban leadership while sipping a cup of tea went viral. Pakistan initially negotiated with the newly formed Taliban state through back channels. But in the end, Pakistan’s efforts boomeranged. As time passed, the relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban administration worsened.
Experts consider several factors important for this. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is getting stronger in Pakistan. But the administration does not consider this group one of its friends. The Taliban in Afghanistan give importance to this group. About 100 Afghan Taliban fighters are believed to have joined the group in Pakistan over the past year. This group wants a Pakistan under Islamic rule. They have carried out one suicide blast in Pakistan in the last year. Hundreds of civilians died. As the Pakistani government’s distance from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is increasing, Pakistan’s distance from the Taliban administration in Afghanistan is also increasing.
A large section of the top leadership of Afghanistan’s Taliban government believes that Pakistan is not an Islamic state at all. Because the history of his birth is colonial. Pakistan’s administrative foundation is also not Islamic. As a result, they never considered Pakistan a friend. On the other hand, Pakistan maintains good relations with America. As a result, a part of the top leadership of the current Taliban administration has been in Pakistani jails for a long time. They want to keep their distance from Pakistan. Meanwhile, unrest has started in Pakistan. In this situation, the Taliban administration does not expect to get any special benefits from Pakistan, as is the opinion of the ambassador of the Afghan embassy in India. He did not accept the rule of the Taliban.
The Taliban is trying to establish contact with India with the help of the back channel. Recently, the matter has become more clear. The Taliban’s top leadership has publicly called for ties with India. India has also been requested to train the Afghan forces. India is also dealing with the issue through the back channel.
In this situation, the political equation of the subcontinent has started to change, according to a section of experts. After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, India first feared that Taliban fighters would enter Kashmir through Pakistan. Earlier, this happened during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. As a result, India has always wanted the current Taliban’s relationship with Pakistan to be bitter. The current situation is somewhat similar.
