PAKISTAN FIGHTERS, TALIBAN TOLD TO TARGET INDIAN ASSETS IN AFGHANISTAN

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has reportedly told the Taliban to target Indian-built assets over the last several years in the war-torn country. According to ANI, the Pakistani and the Taliban fighters there have been sent in with specific instructions to target the Indian-built assets in the war-torn country.

The Indian government has invested more $3 billion in the Afghanistan reconstruction effort since the last two decades. The 218-km road between Delaram and Zaranj Salma dam, and the Afghan Parliament building, which was inaugurated in 2015, are the biggest symbols of Indian contribution for the Afghan people.

As per estimates, more than 10,000 Pakistanis have entered the war zone in Afghanistan to openly support the Taliban’s offensive against the Ashraf Ghani-led Afghanistan government. Also, the Pakistan Air Force is accused of helping the Taliban strengthen their position in Afghanistan.

As per inputs, the Pakistani and the Taliban fighters there have been sent in with specific instructions to target the Indian built assets and remove any signs of Indian goodwill work there, government sources monitoring Afghanistan told ANI.

India had made an immense contribution towards the education sector in Afghanistan and had played a big role in training their teachers and support staff.The Pakistan-backed Islamic terrorist groups including the Haqqani network have been highly active for years against India there.

The Indian side is also in a fix on the issue of whether they would be allowed to retain its presence in Kabul as so far no assurance or indication has been given by the ultra-radical Islamist group which has been seen as opposed to India.

Indian agencies are also closely monitoring the situation at the Kabul airport which is not going to be under American guard for very long now. Many airfields under Americans including the Bagram air base which have been vacated due to the ongoing power tussle with the Taliban.

The Indian workers involved in civil works have also been asked to move out. Indian public sector company WAPCOS had some officials there for dam projects. India had recently also announced works worth around $350 million including the Shahtoot dam for providing drinking water to the city of Kabul.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call back the ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats in view of the abduction of an ambassador’s daughter, said Afghan first Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Sunday.

“President Ashraf Ghani instructs its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to call back ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats in view of abduction of an ambassador’s daughter. Our national psyche has been tortured,” Amrullah Saleh tweeted. This comes after Silsila Alikhil, the daughter of Afghan envoy Najibullah Alikhil, was abducted in Pakistan for several hours on Friday, and was severely tortured by unknown individuals on her way home.

The caucus noted that the incident took place amid heightened tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. Rasheed Ahmed on Sunday said that the kidnapping case of the Afghanistan ambassador’s daughter is expected to be solved within 72 hours, reported The Express Tribune.

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed Rasheed to ensure that the culprits behind the incident involving the ambassador’s daughter are arrested within 48 hours. Najibullah Alikhil, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan decried being “forced” to share a picture of his daughter late Saturday night after another woman’s picture was incorrectly posted to social media after the news of her abduction broke.

In a tweet, the ambassador apologised for sharing his daughter’s, Selsela Alikhil, picture but added that he felt compelled to share it after some other woman’s picture was posted incorrectly on social media.

Moreover, Najibullah Alikhil gave an update about her daughter’s condition and expressed profound gratitude for the messages of sympathy.

“Yesterday my daughter was kidnapped from Islamabad and beaten heavily, but by Allah blessing escaped. She feels better now. This inhuman attack has been following by the concerned authorities of both countries. I express my profound gratitude for the messages of sympathy,” he tweeted.

WITH ANI INPUTS