Leaders including Azhar Masoud, Amrullah Saleh and Abdul Rashid Dostum have taken refuge in Tajikistan. The ISI chief also met with Tajikistan’s president as engagement with the Taliban government has also been scaled back after the Taliban government failed to prioritize Tajikistan in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has been a center of conflict between world powers in the past. Once close allies, Pakistan and the Taliban are now enemies. Pakistan carried out airstrikes that killed more than 50 civilians. In retaliation, the Taliban attacked Pakistani troops in the Durand Line, killing 20 soldiers, and Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants claimed control of a Pakistani underground bunker.
Exasperated by developments in the border region, Pakistan sent ISI chief Asim Malik on a secret visit to Tajikistan. Pakistani media said the ISI chief met with Tajikistan’s Northern Alliance leaders. This was an alliance that India had previously supported against the Taliban.
Pakistani journalist Asad Toll revealed that the ISI chief had met with Northern Alliance leaders. The move is aimed at Pakistan sending a message to the Taliban government. Mr. Tour said Pakistan wants to be a friend of the Northern Alliance. Pakistan realized that Ashraf Ghani’s government was superior to the Taliban. Because the former imprisoned TTP terrorists. However, the Taliban has released TTP terrorists and the Baloch rebels are receiving arms from the US through Afghanistan.
Asad Tour reminded that former US Secretary of State had warned Pakistan about TTP and now Pakistan was facing TTP’s barbaric acts on its soil. The Pakistani government supported the Taliban while U.S. forces were in Afghanistan.
Leaders including Azhar Masoud, Amrullah Saleh and Abdul Rashid Dostum have taken refuge in Tajikistan. The ISI chief also met with Tajikistan’s president as engagement with the Taliban government has also been scaled back after the Taliban government failed to prioritize Tajikistan in Afghanistan.
Pakistan opposed the Northern Alliance from 1996 to 2001, while Iran-Tajikistan and India supported it. Meanwhile, India strengthened its ties with the Taliban and condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory.
