In a strong message to Pakistan, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said during his maiden visit to India that Afghanistan has “completely wiped out” terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad from its soil. The comments came after New Delhi announced the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Kabul — a significant shift in regional geopolitics.
“Terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad once operated from Afghan soil. But not a single one of them remains,” Muttaqi told reporters in New Delhi on Friday after his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
“Not an inch of land is controlled by them in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan against whom we carried out an operation in 2021 has transformed,” he said.
The minister also advised Islamabad to follow Afghanistan’s model of counterterrorism, adding, “Let other countries also act against such terror groups like Afghanistan did for peace.”
India Restores Full Diplomatic Relations
Muttaqi’s India visit was marked by a key diplomatic decision: India will restore full diplomatic relations with Afghanistan and upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to an embassy.
“We have a deep interest in the progress of the neighbouring country,” Jaishankar said after the meeting, highlighting the need for stability in the region.
Muttaqi also addressed recent reports of a blast in Kabul and accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack.
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“There has been an attack near the border in remote areas. We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Problems cannot be solved like this. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years. No one should have a problem with it,” he said.
The minister added a warning: “If someone wants to cause Afghans trouble, they should ask the Soviet Union, America, and NATO what happened when they tried.”
Afghanistan Seeks Equal Ties with Pakistan
Muttaqi made it clear that Kabul wants peaceful relations with Islamabad, but it cannot be one-sided.
“We are open for talks. They should solve their problems on their own,” he asserted.
The Taliban government has been pushing for recognition and closer ties with neighbouring countries to stabilise its economy and global image.
‘India Is a Close Friend’: Muttaqi Praises New Delhi
Muttaqi also praised India for its support after the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade, and people-to-people relations,” he said.
The visiting minister proposed a consultative mechanism to deepen cooperation and also hinted at joint dialogues involving the U.S. to boost trade and connectivity.
