‘Afghan Taliban being trained for modern weapons’

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister, chairman Institute of Research and Reforms Rehman Malik has said Afghan Taliban are being trained for modern weapons which could prove a threat to the region in upcoming days.

“Passing out parade for the newly-trained Taliban recruits was organised at an undisclosed place in a very impressive ceremony attended most likely by Mullah Yaqoob - the son of Mullah Omar. It is yet to be known who is behind the training of Taliban recruits and what their targets are,” he said in a statement Saturday. Ex-senator Rehman Malik said unfortunately with every passing day tension in Afghanistan is increasing which needs world attention.

Malik while making some shocking revelations said Taliban have occupied more than 80% of Afghanistan which could prove a threat to the region in the days to come. He revealed that Taliban have got their military and weaponry training and this is to be seen who are behind the training and providing them with modern weapons. He said in the very near future Taliban will be possessing jets. He said it is yet to be seen were those Indian training elites who trained Taliban in Afghanistan, some central Asian country or someone else.

He said peace in Afghanistan means peace in Pakistan and no country could be concerned about stability and peace of Afghanistan more than Pakistan. He said Pakistan is a direct victim of the Afghan-USSR war followed by the growth of the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and Daesh which have been eroding our system. “The changing situation in Afghanistan should be of great concern for all of us in Pakistan,” he said. He said we need national unity when it comes to Pakistan’s national security being the backbone of the state.

Malik said since the situation in Afghanistan directly impacts Pakistan and situation is worsening in Afghanistan, therefore, calling a meeting of Parliamentary Committee on National Security was the need of the hour. He said he was hoping for the formulation of a doable comprehensive strategy to cope with future challenges after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Former interior minister said we have made countless sacrifices in the war on terror in terms of sacrifice of more than 70,000 lives of troops and civilians with huge devastation to our basic infrastructure and economic damages. He said today we have to think about why despite numerous sacrifices we are facing global isolation and being sidelined from Afghan issue.

He said from a reliable source it was learned that US is leaving its weapons and jeeps along with keys in Afghanistan and question rises that why the ammunition and jeeps were not destroyed or taken away. “War strategists are worried that who will be the target of Taliban who were now well-trained and equipped with modern weapons, he added. He said this is no secret that India’s Intelligence Agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) is working in collaboration with Afghanistan’s intelligence agency, National Directorate of Security (NDS) to escalate tension at Pak-Afghanistan border. “In the future, the Taliban could be a threat to Pakistan, China, and Iran and they are no longer ours, they belong to India,” he further added. He said who came forward to energise the Taliban to enhance their military power and to use them against all those who are against their ideology and for their own interests in the region. He said it looks that Taliban will be now trained and installed under the flag of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the time will tell whether they will operate independently or be used with Western remote control.