Pakistan rejects Afghanistan’s claim of providing air support to Taliban

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has rejected Afghanistan Vice President Amrullah Saleh’s claim of Pakistan providing “close air support” to the Taliban and that it warned the country’s security forces from acting against the insurgent group.

Earlier this week, the Taliban captured the strategic border crossing of Spin Boldak along the frontier with Pakistan that provides direct access to Balochistan, continuing sweeping gains made since foreign forces stepped up their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Following the announcement, Afghanistan’s security forces launched an operation to retake the border crossing. However, in a twisted turn of events, Saleh on Thursday claimed Islamabad had warned Kabul that any move to dislodge the Taliban fighters from border town will be “faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force”.

In a tweet, he claimed the Pakistan Air Force was now “providing close air support to the Taliban in certain areas”. He, however, did not substantiate his allegations with evidence.

Breaking: Pakistan air force has issued official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force. Pak air force is now providing close air support to Taliban in certain areas

— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 15, 2021

Islamabad strongly denied the claim, with a Foreign Office statement saying Pakistan “took necessary measures within its territory to safeguard our own troops and population”.

Kabul “conveyed to Pakistan its intention of carrying out air operation inside its territory” opposite the Chaman border crossing, it said.

Pakistan “responded positively” to her “right to act in its territory […] In spite of [the fact that] very close border operations [are] normally not acceded to by internationally accepted norms/standards/procedures”.

“Pakistan took necessary measures within its territory to safeguard our own troops and population,” the statement added.

While we acknowledge Kabul’s right to “undertake actions on its sovereign territory”, the PAF “never communicated anything” to its Afghanistan counterpart.

“Such statements undermine Pakistan’s sincere efforts to play its part in an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led solution,” the Foreign Office asserted.

The statement further recalled Islamabad rescued and returned to Afghanistan “with respect and dignity” 40 of its troops who fled to Pakistan.

It said Pakistan’s military also offered to provide Afghan security forces with all logistical support it had requested.

“We remain committed to peace in Afghanistan and shall continue to endeavour towards this end irrespective of the detractors,” the statement added.

“It is, however, important that at this critical juncture, all energies are focused on achieving an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan.”

Suffering from a credibility deficit for its failure in playing its role well in the peace process, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly accused Pakistan of backing the Taliban in the group’s attacks inside Afghanistan.

Recent developments suggest the Ghani regime sees its continuity in the office linked to the foreign military presence, much to the chagrin of Afghan people who are eager for peace to end the four decades of war.