Taliban wants positive relation with India, claims its spokesperson -

New Delhi/Doha: Afghanistan’s peace process is under threat due to the Taliban’s attacks. In such a situation, India should contribute to restoring peace in Afghanistan, appealed Afghan-US diplomat, Zalmay Khalilzad. Following this, an official spokesperson of the Taliban claimed that it is expecting to develop positive relations with India. At the same time, he also said that Taliban welcomes India’s contribution in Afghanistan. Taliban, who acquired the rule over Afghanistan after defeating Soviet Russia, had once assisted the terrorism in Kashmir. However, the Taliban now indicates to have changed its stance regarding India.

US President Donald Trump wants to retreat his army from Afghanistan before the US Presidential election, which is to be held in November. Besides, the Coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for the Trump administration to contain its army in Afghanistan; thus, they are making vigorous efforts to bring the army home as soon as possible. But, the US Army’s retreat is under threat due to frequent sessions of counterstrikes between the Afghan government and Taliban. The US Defence Ministry warned that the proposal to withdraw the army from Afghanistan would be reconsidered as Taliban initiated a spree of horrific terror attacks. Thus, the Afghan-US diplomat, Zalmay Khalilzad, is trying to obtain the assistance of neighbouring nations and establish political peace. He had thus visited India followed by Pakistan. In his visit to India, Khalilzad appealed to India to contribute to bringing peace in Afghanistan. India and Afghanistan share a historical relation. Besides, he also reminded that India’s contribution to Afghanistan’s development is priceless. At the same time, he even advised that India should directly talk to Taliban and resolve Afghanistan’s issues with the Taliban.

Furthermore, India had expressed concerns that Afghanistan will find itself in the clutches of the Taliban after the US Army’s withdrawal. Besides, India has time and again said that if Taliban grasps over Afghanistan, then this nation will become the hub of terrorism. Thus, India had taken a careful stance on US-Taliban Peace Treaty. Against this background, the advice of US Special Ambassadors to India to discuss peace with the Taliban draws attention. Not only did the talks get accomplished, but the Taliban’s spokesperson from their workplace in Qatar also praised India just a few hours later.

Taliban’s spokesperson, Suhail Shaheen, said that Taliban welcomes India’s contribution for Afghanistan’s development. Shahin also claimed that Taliban expects positive relations with India. Taliban is trying to hint that India has nothing to worry about, even if the Taliban acquires rule in Afghanistan. They were trying to convey that the way Afghanistan had become the hub of all terrorist activities in India back in the 90s; such a situation will no more arise. However, India has announced that it will support the rule of the democratically elected government in Afghanistan.

Moreover, India is also making robust efforts to ensure the democracy in Afghanistan does not fallback. Hence, India does not seem to take a different stance to the Taliban’s message. Taliban will have to drop terrorism and also mend its policy of acting as per Pakistan’s directions. Will the Taliban show such inclination? Only the answer to this question will ensure the fate of the Taliban and Afghanistan.