No decision yet on attending Indian conference on Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: No decision has as yet been taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the invitation from the Indian National Security Adviser (NSA), Ajit Doval, to NSA Moeed Yusuf, to attend a conference in Delhi over the situation inside Afghanistan and its way forward.

While the NSA office was reluctant to comment, other sources told The News, “Yes, we have received the invitation but we have not taken any decision on it as yet.” Though there are no dates fixed for the conference, it is expected to be held in November.

Earlier, there was another Indian invitation extended to Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani to attend a function in India on the invitation of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Prime Minister Modi was also going to address the event. However, after several rounds of deliberations, the government has decided to decline the invitation. The News had earlier reported that it was highly unlikely that Sanjarani would attend.

NSA’s Ajit Doval’s decision to hold a meeting on Afghanistan has taken many, including Pakistan by surprise. According to The Sunday Express’s The Sunday, “The country’s top security establishment, the National Security Council Secretariat, is taking the lead in organising the conference and feelers are being sent to Afghanistan’s neighbours such as Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and key players including Russia, China, US and European partners like the EU, France, Germany and the UK. Representatives from the UN are also expected to be invited.

“When you are not at the table, you are on the menu… this conference is India’s attempt to set the table, be on the table and decide the agenda,” The Indian Express quoted an unmanned source.The News learnt from sources in Delhi that the move for India to push for Afghanistan after ignoring it except holding a meeting in Doha and refusing to send humanitarian aid, was partially a push from the US Deputy State, Wendy Sherman, who visited Pakistan as well. The US and India have been left with mere diplomatic presence without any kind of links in Kabul, and are desperate to get a seat at the high table as they watch all the world capitals increase their contacts with the Taliban caretaker government. Before the expected Delhi conference on Afghanistan, both Delhi and Kabul will be face-to-face in Moscow for a meeting on Afghanistan with Russia saying that all invitations have been accepted. Sources in Kabul say that the head of the Afghan delegation will be raising the issue of humanitarian aid with Delhi’s representative, not at a very senior level. Pakistan will be represented by its Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq Khan who is working round the clock to improve bilateral relations with Kabul.

In a related development, the extremely important issue of PIA flights which stopped flying to Kabul is also expected to be resolved soon. Inquiries are being held and so far it appears that there is weight in Kabul’s accusations, and the government here is expected to take strong action if any PIA official is found stepping over the line.

Meanwhile, Pakistan strongly condemned the continuing extrajudicial killings in staged encounters and fake cordon-and-search operations, as well arbitrary detentions and crimes against humanity by Indian occupation forces in IIOJ&K. “The deteriorating security and human rights situation in the occupied territory is a matter of grave concern for the international community. We also strongly condemn India’s ongoing propaganda to malign the indigenous and just struggle of the people of IIOJ&K for their right to self-determination, by raising the bogey of terrorism,” said the Foreign Office. Pakistan says it has also been alerting the international community about India’s track record of orchestrating false-flag operations to undermine the Kashmir freedom movement.

“Equally condemnable is the RSS-BJP combine’s ploy to demonize Kashmiri Muslims, by stirring up communal tensions. Pakistan calls on India to halt its state-sponsored terrorism, refrain from propaganda against Kashmiris, lift its suffocating military siege and let the people of IIOJ&K excercise their right to self-determination as promised in various UN Security Council resolutions,” it added.