The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has asked India to complete the development projects that have begun in the country, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdul Qahar Balkhi on Sunday. “We hope that by increasing diplomatic missions, we will move forward from the aspect of humanity to the development aspect. And in that area, our priority that we have also conveyed to India is from the completion of several incomplete projects that India has done, as the first step, “Balkhi said in an interview with Indian Express – A the day before the first birthday of the Taliban takers Afghanistan. August 15 has been declared a holiday but the celebration by the Taliban regime will be low, limited to official media events. The main event can take place on September 1, the last foreign troop day left Afghanistan last year.
Balki named the Shahtoot Dam in Kabul as one of the projects desired by the Taliban for India. “India has many different projects, and they are incomplete. And we have urged them to finish it because if they are not finished, everything will be in vain, “he said. The new India -new reopened embassy in Kabul, a year after being closed and all personnel were evacuated after the takeover of the Afghan Taliban August 15. This mission was manned by the Director’s IFS officer, who was the deputy head of the leading mission, and four other officials. The ITBP contingent has also been flown for the security of the embassy.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Jaishankar said in Bengaluru that India’s decision to restart the mission was to help the Afghan people by providing human and medical assistance and that India wanted to help in the field of vaccine development. India’s development assistance to Afghanistan is estimated to be worth more than $ 3 billion for 20 years, including the main roads, dams, electricity transmission channels and substation, and schools and hospitals. Although Delhi has not made any statement about increasing his diplomatic presence in Kabul, Balkhi issued a statement on Saturday, saying the Afghan Islamic Emirates (IEA), the formal name for the Taliban regime, “Receiving India’s steps to improve its diplomatic representatives in Kabul”. He said the regime would ensure security and provide “all cooperation”.
He asserted on Sunday that “security guarantees, diplomatic immunity and all other steps needed” have been given to India to improve the embassy. “We move in a very positive direction [with India]. They have reopened the embassy, they have sent their diplomats, they are looking for an increase in the level of representation here at the embassy, we have reopened flights between India and Afghanistan. We are trying to let Indian flights also come to us and currently there is Kam Air that has flights with India, “he said. Balkhi said trade with India had “doubled”, and “we hope that moving forward through dialogue and involvement, we will overcome the remaining problems and concerns and reach a better stage”.
IEA also wants India to work on connectivity projects, Balkhi said, “Because we need to connect Central Asia to South Asia. Afghanistan is the closest and most efficient route in terms of connectivity area “. He said to revive connectivity through the Chanilar Port of Iran, the Taliban regime “tried to revive trilateral mechanisms. We have sent our proposals and messages to the Indian and Iranian sites. And they are open to revive the Chabuar route “. The Taliban regime also wants to revive the Turkmenistan-Afghan-Pakistan-India (but) pipeline project. Responding to a question about Pakistan’s rejection of access to land routes to Afghanistan, he said this was “a problem between India and Pakistan … From our side, we are open to all countries to realize the full potential of Afghanistan when coming to investment, minerals, trade, transit , and connectivity “.
Balki, who lived abroad for several years and spoke English smoothly, said IEA “did not take the fact of the United States claim” about the presence of Al Qaeda Ayman Al Zawahiri or his murder in Kabul two weeks ago. He said the official investigation announced by the regime was still ongoing. Reminded about the UN report that directs the presence of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups including those who are of direct concern to India, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-toiba, Balkhi said the UN has a “track record” of the report that does not right “in Afghanistan. He appointed a report in the New York Times about a new assessment by the US intelligence agent that Al Qaeda had not regained gathering in Afghanistan and did not directly have the ability to carry out attacks.
“But the important thing is that the Afghan government has a policy, that is, no individual or group is allowed to use the Afghan territory to threaten the security of others,” he said. Asked whether the Taliban had a formal position about the Kashmir problem, the spokesman said: “Afghan’s new government policy is that we did not interfere in internal problems of other countries. And we do not allow others to interfere in Afghan’s internal matters. “
Asked whether it was the position of the Taliban that Kashmir was an Indian internal problem, he said: “We consider it Kashmir’s internal problems and all other related parties.” He said “the best way” that India’s concern about the Taliban can be handled is “through involvement and through dialogue and interaction”.