Taliban Minister Muttaqi Claims Afghanistan Free of Terror Groups During Historic India Visit

New Delhi:

During his official visit to India, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi claimed that terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been completely eliminated from Afghan territory over the past four years. He advised Pakistan to pursue a similar path toward peace.

"Not a single terrorist remains in Afghanistan. They control not even an inch of Afghan land. The Afghanistan against which we conducted operations in 2021 has completely transformed," Muttaqi stated in response to NDTV's question about Pakistani terror groups previously operating from Afghan soil.

From Indian territory, which has suffered from cross-border terrorism, Muttaqi delivered a message to Pakistan: "Other countries should follow Afghanistan's example and act against terror groups to achieve peace."

Muttaqi's inaugural visit to India resulted in the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the nations. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar announced that India will upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to an embassy, expressing a "deep interest" in Afghanistan's development.

During his press conference, Muttaqi addressed reports of a recent explosion in Kabul, accusing Pakistan of orchestrating the attack.

"An attack occurred near the border in remote areas. We consider Pakistan's actions wrong. Problems cannot be resolved this way. We remain open to dialogue. They should address their internal issues themselves. After 40 years, Afghanistan finally experiences peace and progress. No one should have concerns about this. Afghanistan is now independent. Why does our peace disturb others?" he remarked.

He cautioned against testing Afghan resilience: "Anyone considering troubling Afghans should consult the Soviet Union, America, and NATO. They will explain why it's unwise to engage Afghanistan in conflict."

The minister emphasized that while Kabul desires improved relations with Islamabad, the effort cannot be unilateral.

Regarding India-Afghanistan relations, Muttaqi praised India for being the first country to provide assistance following the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan considers India a close friend. We seek relations based on mutual respect, trade, and people-to-people connections. We are prepared to establish a consultative mechanism that strengthens our bilateral relationship," the visiting minister stated.

Muttaqi also mentioned tariffs implemented by US President Donald Trump while emphasizing the need for enhanced cooperation between India and Afghanistan.

"India and Afghanistan should engage in joint discussions with the US. Both our nations need access to this route. We recognize the importance of trade, which has increased, and all trade corridors should remain open. When routes are closed, it impacts trade between India and Afghanistan," the Taliban minister concluded.