Kabul rules out use of its soil against Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Afghanistan’s acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund has again reiterated his country’s earlier stance, saying “Afghanistan doesn’t have any intention of causing damage or creating problems for any of their neighbouring countries, including Pakistan”.

“Afghanistan is governed by an Islamic Sharia. We deal with each and every issue as per the Islamic Sharia and Sharia doesn’t allow us to cause any harm to anyone or any other country, including Pakistan. Therefore, we don’t have any intention of creating problems for any country, including Pakistan, and we will never allow anyone to use our country against any other country,” Mullah Hasan Akhund explained in the meeting with a delegation of Pakistani religious leaders.

He, however, called for an end to what he termed “cruel attitude of the Pakistan government authorities” towards the Afghan refugees, saying such actions created more problems rather than finding solutions to issues.

Afghan interim government Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Mullah Hasan Akhund welcomed the Pakistani religious leaders in Kabul and appreciated their role in resolving issues and misunderstandings.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the delegation also discussed other issues being faced by the traders of the two countries.He said Mullah Hasan told the Pakistani religious leaders that Afghanistan and Pakistan could never be separated from each other as both countries have many similarities.

The two sides stressed the need for finding more ways to resolve issues and avoid practices that could further escalate tensions between the two neighbours.Besides Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Wasey, Maulana Salahuddin, Maulana Kamaluddin, Maulana Jamaluddin, Maulana Salimuddin Shamzai, Maulana Imdadullah, Maulana Sheikh Mohammad Idrees, Dr Atiqur Rahman and Mufti Ibrar were present in the meeting.

The Afghan government was represented by Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund while chief justice of Afghanistan Maulvi Abdul Hakim Haqqani, foreign minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi, minister of Hajj and Auqaf, Maulvi Noor Mohammad Saqib, and other high-ranking officials of the government accompanied him.

Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi stressed the need for facilitating the traders and businessmen of the two countries.“The basic purpose of our visit is to remove the mistrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” said Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He told the Afghan officials that JUIF had raised voice against Pakistan authorities’ attitude towards the Afghan refugees, and termed it one of the factors responsible for creating tensions between the two countries.“We have brought a message of solidarity to Afghanistan and believe that it will have a positive impact,” said Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

Meanwhile, according to sources, the Pakistani Taliban have not been informed about any likely meeting between them and the Pakistani religious leaders.However, the hosts of the Pakistani delegation may arrange their meetings with certain leaders of the Pakistani Taliban during their stay in Afghanistan.

Some of the religious leaders of the Pakistani delegation have remained teachers of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban in madaris in Pakistan.