RASC News Agency: Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States has underscored that Afghanistan requires leadership far more capable than the Taliban. In a statement on his X account, Hussain Haqqani declared: “Afghanistan is far too deserving to be governed by the Taliban or to be subjected to bombings by its neighbors.” Haqqani further emphasized that the international community must not turn its back on Afghanistan, urging continued support and solidarity with its citizens.
Afrasiab Khattak, a former member of Pakistan’s Senate, also criticized the Taliban, labeling them a “catastrophic project” for both sides of the Durand Line and describing them as unqualified rulers. He asserted that the Taliban lack any understanding of governance and encroach on others’ rights without restraint. On Saturday, Haqqani strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Paktika Province, reiterating via his X account that Afghanistan’s importance cannot be dismissed by the global community. Khattak echoed similar sentiments on Saturday, writing: “The decades-long catastrophic Taliban project, which has inflicted death and destruction across vast areas on both sides of the Durand Line, remains a taboo topic.”
He further stressed that the Taliban issue should be analyzed through the lens of national security and called for accountability from those responsible for the devastation. These remarks follow Pakistan’s airstrikes in Barmal District, Paktika Province, on Wednesday, December 25, which reportedly resulted in at least 50 fatalities. While Pakistan claimed the strikes were aimed at positions held by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Taliban countered by stating that the majority of the victims were women, children, and non-combatants.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense condemned the strikes as “cowardly” and issued a stern warning to Pakistan, declaring that such actions “will not go unanswered.” Earlier today, the Taliban also reported skirmishes between their forces and Pakistani border guards in Paktika, escalating tensions in the region further.
