Terror-sponsor Pakistan blames neighbours for internal failures: MEA on Pak-Afghan tensions

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Highlighting that Pakistan has a habit of blaming neighbours for its internal failures, India on Thursday said that it is closely monitoring the situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan continues to host and support terrorist activities.

When asked about India's view on Afghanistan-Pakistan border tensions, Jaiswal responded, "We are closely monitoring the situation. Three things are clear - one that Pakistan hosts terrorist organisations and sponsors terrorist activities. Two, it is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbours for its own internal failures. And three, Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan."

MEA's statement comes amid escalating border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan following a series of clashes and airstrikes in the recent days.

On Wednesday, Pakistan and Afghanistan announced that both countries have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that the ceasefire has been reached after a request made by the Pakistani side.

"At the request and insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire will be implemented between the two countries after 5:30 PM. The Islamic Emirate also instructs all its forces to observe the ceasefire after 5:30 PM as long as no one violates it," Mujahid posted on X.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said that both countries have agreed to halt hostilities for 48 hours to allow resolution of the ongoing issues through diplomatic means.

According to the Taliban spokesperson, 12 Afghan civilians were killed and over 100 others injured in attacks launched by the Pakistani forces on the Spin Boldak district in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan on Wednesday.

He said that the Pakistani forces launched an attack on the border district early morning using light and heavy weapons. Multiple Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by Afghan forces, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

"Unfortunately, this morning, Pakistani forces once again launched attacks with light and heavy weapons on Afghanistan in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, as a result of which more than 12 civilians were martyred and more than 100 were injured. After that, Afghan forces were forced to take retaliatory action," Mujahid posted on X.

"In retaliatory operations, multiple Pakistani aggressor soldiers were killed, their posts and centres were captured, weapons and tanks fell into the hands of Afghan forces, and most of their military installations were destroyed. However, the mujahideen, with high spirits, are ready to defend their homeland, sanctuaries, and people," he added.

--IANS

akl/as