Afghan Taliban detain seven soldiers from the Pakistan military

Kabul/Islamabad: The Taliban delivered a major jolt to Pakistan, firm on erecting a barbed wire fencing on the Durand Line. Taliban detained 7 Pakistani soldiers who had crossed the Durand Line and entered Afghanistan. The Afghan media have reported this. This has created a sensation in Pakistan and the Pakistan media criticised that the Taliban has crossed the ‘Red Line’. Pakistan National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf is scheduled to visit Afghanistan next week. Concerns are being expressed that the Taliban has made its intentions clear by detaining the Pakistani soldiers just before the visit.

The Taliban detained seven Pakistani soldiers who entered the Golam region in the Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan. Taliban is accusing that the Taliban soldiers crossed the Durand line. Leading Afghan news agencies reported this action. Videos and photographs of Pakistani soldiers have also been posted on social media.

Pakistan government has avoided commenting on the development. But concerns are being expressed in the Pakistan media over the Taliban action. The Taliban actions on the Durand Line over the last few days were milder in nature. But the Pakistan journalists are expressing annoyance that now the Taliban has crossed the ‘Red Line’ with this abduction of Pakistani soldiers.

Over the last three weeks, the Taliban has challenged the Durand Line’s Pakistani activities. Taliban has carried out acts like uprooting the fence and threatening the Pakistani soldiers. Video also has been received of the Taliban running a truck on the fencing in the presence of the Pakistani soldiers.

But Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that these are some Non-State Actors and have no connection with the Taliban. Pakistan is insistent on resolving the Durand Line issue through negotiations. Qureshi had been told that opportunity should not be made available to the enemy by increasing tension on the Durand Line. Babar Iftekhar, the spokesman of the Pakistan military, had said that the Pakistan military is erecting the fencing all along the Durand Line and had asserted that the work will be completed.

But Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob and spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid had defied the Pakistani claim saying that no fencing will be tolerated on the Durand Line. A Taliban commander had challenged Pakistan, saying that the Taliban will see how the Pakistan military erects the fence and patrols the Durand Line.

Pakistani journalists have expressed concerns over this Taliban aggression. Pakistan has been advocating for the Taliban, which is in power in Afghanistan, at the international level. Therefore, according to these journalists, these Taliban actions on the Durand Line corner Pakistan. The journalists are also pointing out that if the Pakistan military took direct action against the Taliban, it would directly impact the extremists in Pakistan.