Pak flags a threat at UN: Afghanistan could become a terror hub
The speech conveniently ignored Pakistan's decades-long support for the Afghan Taliban, which Islamabad nurtured as a proxy force.It is widely known that Pakistan sheltered the Taliban's leaders, from its formation in 1994 to its resurgence in 2021.There is a parallel truth to it — the very force Pakistan once nurtured now appears increasingly estranged from it.The TTP, an offshoot of the Taliban, has unleashed waves of deadly violence across the country over the years. In 2024, nearly 15,000 Taliban fighters reportedly mobilised towards the Durand Line after Pakistani airstrikes targeted TTP positions inside Afghanistan.Now, Pakistan is acting shocked as the blowback hits its own soil.Ambassador Ahmad's speech also blamed "Indian-backed terrorists" for border infiltrations — a familiar Pakistani trope deflecting blame onto New Delhi. Meanwhile, he glossed over Pakistan's history of harbouring militants such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which target both India and Afghanistan.What must also be noted in light of Pakistan's ridiculous claims in the UN is that following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, it was the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) that played a significant role in the ensuing upheaval.The ISI, long accused of maintaining ties with the Taliban, reportedly provided logistical support and strategic guidance to the group during its rapid takeover of Kabul.This involvement helped the Taliban exploit the power vacuum left by the US, enabling their swift return to power.The Pakistani ambassador's plea for international aid to handle Afghan refugees and revive Afghanistan's economy carries its own contradictions.The TTP now conducts daily attacks on military outposts, suicide bombings in urban centres, and targeted assassinations. Over 558 people were killed in 2024 alone by the TTP, while border regions like North Waziristan have reportedly become ungovernable because of the outfit.The TTP's rise in Pakistan mirrors the Afghan Taliban's trajectory.Until Islamabad reckons with its role as an incubator of terrorism, its "warnings", such as the one given at the UN, will continue to be met with scepticism. Pakistan's latest statement at the UN is both historical amnesia and audacious hypocrisy. Terrorism, which Pakistan used as a policy against India, has boomeranged.- EndsMust Watch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
India abstains as UN votes for end to ‘repressive' Taliban policies
P Harish, India's permanent representative to the UN NEW DELHI: India and China were among 12 countries that abstained in UN General Assembly from voting on a resolution on Afghanistan, seeking political inclusion and urging Taliban to reverse its repressive policies resulting in the "grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression" of all women and girls. The 193-member UNGA adopted the draft resolution introduced by Germany with 116 votes in favour, two against (US and Israel) and 12 abstentions. Explaining its abstention, India cited Kabul's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam attack, and said a coherent policy to address a post-conflict situation must be a mix of policy instruments: incentivising positive behaviour and disincentivising harmful actions. Pakistan, which has had a turbulent relationship with Taliban in recent times, voted in favour. On the contrary, India's ties with the Taliban have improved dramatically even in the absence of a formal recognition by New Delhi of the regime in Kabul, as evident from foreign minister S Jaishankar's recent contact over phone with Afghan acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. "An approach focused only on punitive measures, in our view, is unlikely to succeed. The United Nations and the broader international community have adopted more balanced and nuanced approaches in other post-conflict contexts. However, no new policy instruments have been introduced to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan since Aug 2021," said P Harish, India's permanent representative to the UN. "A 'business as usual' approach, without new and targeted initiatives, is unlikely to deliver the outcomes the international community envisions for the Afghan people," he added. "While we remain committed to continued engagement with all relevant stakeholders and broadly support the international community's efforts towards a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, India has decided to abstain on this resolution," said Harish in his statement, while calling upon the international community to work together for an Afghanistan free of terrorist activities. "The international community must direct its coordinated efforts towards ensuring that entities and individuals designated by the UN Security Council, the Al Qaeda and their affiliates, ISIL and their affiliates, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, along with their regional sponsors who facilitate their operations, no longer exploit the Afghan territory for terrorist activities," said the ambassador. According to a UN News report, the UNGA resolution called on Taliban to swiftly reverse policies that exclude women from education, employment and public life. It also demanded that Afghanistan not be used as a safe haven for terrorist activity.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Maharashtra language war: Is the showdown aimed at Mumbai civic poll? Experts debate
On 'To The Point', the focus is on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's announcement of 35% reservation for women in government jobs, aimed at empowering women and reshaping Bihar's workforce. This policy applies to all government positions at every level and department, but only for original residents of the state. The decision comes months before the Bihar Assembly elections, with women constituting nearly half of Bihar's 7.64 crore voters. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, women outvoted men with a 59.4% turnout compared to 53% among men. The government has also approved the formation of a Bihar Youth Commission to address unemployment concerns. The announcement has sparked debate on whether it's a genuine push for empowerment or a well-timed political strategy, especially given that a similar 35% reservation policy has been in place since 2015. Additionally, the transcript covers a controversy between the Indian government and social media platform X (formerly Twitter) over the blocking of Reuters and over 2000 handles. X claims the government ordered blocking without justification, while the government denies issuing any fresh blocking orders, raising concerns about press freedom and censorship. The upcoming Kaavad Yatra is also discussed, with reports of shops and dhabas along the route being made to display 'I am Hindu' posters, sparking a debate on religious profiling and discrimination. The discussion touches on broader issues of religious identity, caste census, and economic discrimination, with opposing views from BJP and Samajwadi Party spokespersons.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Aviation body understaffed at top level, can hire retired officials: Ex-minister
Former Civil Aviation Minister and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Praful Patel on Tuesday flagged a shortage of senior skilled personnel in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), suggesting that retired officials be brought back on short tenures to strengthen oversight and maintain safety standards in Indian after the PAC meeting, Patel said, "Safety is paramount. Anyone who flies wants to be safe and assured that they will reach their destination. Many events took place in the wake of the Air India crash. Obviously, when a crash happens, everything is taken with sensitivity."advertisementHe, however, emphasised that Indian aviation remains safe and there is no need for panic. "Indian aviation is safe, and we don't need to panic. All airlines, including Air India, follow all safety protocols. DGCA is well equipped and does a very good job," Patel said. He added, "DGCA needs to have more people. It is facing a shortage of staff at the top level, of skilled people. Retired officials can be brought back to deal with this understaffing and ensure safety standards are fully compliant at the earliest. Maybe an audit of the entire sector or all the aircraft should be done at the earliest so that passenger confidence is restored."Patel made these remarks after a PAC meeting that was originally convened to discuss "levy charges at airports" but saw an intense focus on the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The London-bound flight AI 171 crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building just seconds after take-off, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board, and 19 people on the meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), DGCA, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Air India CEO Wilson Campbell and top officials from IndiGo and Akasa Air were also said MPs asked aviation authorities pointed questions about safety and demanded an immediate audit by BCAS. They sought details on the timeline for black box analysis and raised concerns about the probe committee's selection criteria, including whether foreign aviation experts had been India, in its submission to the PAC, defended the Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the crash, calling it one of the safest aircraft in operation and noting that more than 1,000 Dreamliners are flying worldwide. The airline said it was "deeply concerned" about the crash and was awaiting the official inquiry also flagged several safety incidents reported in May and June, along with what they described as the "high-handed behaviour" of private airlines. They pointed to a spike in flight fares following the Pahalgam terror attack and questioned regulatory oversight.- EndsMust Watch
