Amid the grim situation in war-torn Afghanistan, its former Intelligence Chief believes India is willing to engage with the Taliban to restore normalcy in the debt-ridden country. In an interview with the Khaama Press, the top intelligence officer Rahmatullah Nabil said New Delhi always prioritise their interest and does not take sides, unlike other countries. He opined that India always refrained from taking sides with political stakeholders and has always followed its non-interference in the internal affairs policy.
While speaking at the sidelines of a conference of anti-Taliban Afghan leaders with the United States and European Union representatives, the former intelligence chief asserted that New Delhi exhibited an interest in engaging with the current Taliban regime and added the engagement would boost the economic growth of the war-torn nation. Also, he opined New Delhi's engagement with the incumbent regime would further enhance the scuttled development projects in the country.
Ex-intel chief warns India against Taliban's soft corner for terrorists
However, he warned India to keep a bird's view on the Taliban and added "they have not changed". Also, he claimed that Pakistani terror groups targeting India such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba have shifted their bases to Afghanistan. He asserted that Pakistan has helped in moving its base from Islamabad to Kabul.
Nabil warned that while engaging the Taliban was necessary for India in its “own interests”, New Delhi should keep channels open with Afghanistan’s former leaders as well, even though they are now out of power. Further, he added, “We are not in a position now to advise India, and they know their national interest better. But they should not live in any illusion that the Taliban has changed.”
India provides humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan irrespective of political chaos
It is worth mentioning ever since the Taliban took over the country after the dramatic escalation of war last year, the country plunged into a severe humanitarian crisis. Several media reported that people are not having proper shelter and food to settle and feed their families. Multiple media reports also exhibited how ill-fated fathers are selling their kids, especially daughters, for the sake of money. However, India, irrespective of political development in the country, chose to provide humanitarian assistance to the country. It not only came forward with food and medicines for assistance to COVID-19 hit people and later after the devastating earthquake. New Delhi donated consignments of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan including 40,000 MTs of wheat; about 50 tonnes of medical aid and assistance and 500,000 of Covid-19 vaccine; and about 28 tonnes of other disaster relief materials.
Also Read: Afghanistan: Taliban carry out first public execution since hastily takeover in August 2021
