ISLAMABAD – Pakistan was not expecting the Afghan Taliban to make rapid inroads in Afghan territory following the withdrawal of foreign troops, an official told a Pakistani newspaper.
Report of Express Tribune quoting an anonymous official claimed that ‘Pakistan was not expecting the unprecedented development in the South Asian country as the Taliban have already captured around 142 of the country’s 407 districts.
The statement further added that ‘we never thought Taliban could make inroads that fast after the beginning of the US withdrawal as the militia stretched their influence as far as along the Tajikistan border’, he added.
The official went on to say that ‘the information we are getting from the ground is that Taliban riding on two-wheelers are taking control of Armoured Personnel Carriers. This is unbelievable.’
In this development, Pakistan is concerned about the lack of resistance from the Afghan security forces. The Afghan National Army has a total strength of 300,000 on-ground soldiers while the militia comprised around 10,000 soldiers.
Meanwhile, Afghan premier Ashraf Ghani, who recently visited the US, insists that the Afghan security forces are putting up resistance and have retaken the control of six districts from the Taliban.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/23-Jun-2021/taliban-capture-key-afghan-border-crossing-with-tajikistan
Pakistan is however still making efforts on its part to seek a political solution in war-torn Afghanistan and its officials have reached out to Afghan leaders encouraging them to seek a political solution.
Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan warned the world of the possibility of a civil war in Afghanistan if foreign troops leave the war-torn country without a political settlement.
Khan, while speaking with Jonathan Swan for an HBO Axios interview, said ‘we only want peace and don’t want to be part of any confrontation. The US must find a political solution before leaving Afghanistan, he stressed.
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