RASC News Agency: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has voiced deep concerns over the proliferation of U.S. weaponry left behind in Afghanistan following Washington’s hasty withdrawal. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, February 28, ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan revealed that Islamabad is actively engaging with the Taliban to address the growing threat. He emphasized that the abandoned U.S. military equipment is now being employed in attacks against Pakistan. “We have consistently underscored the urgency of this matter and called upon both the international community and the Taliban to take decisive action,” Khan stated. He further reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to fostering cooperative ties with the Taliban but warned that the presence of “terrorist sanctuaries on Afghanistan soil” remains a fundamental impediment to regional stability.
A 2022 report by the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that military equipment worth an estimated $7 billion was left behind in Afghanistan during the American withdrawal. In January of this year, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its concerns, describing these sophisticated weapons as a significant security threat to Pakistan and its citizens. Regarding the ongoing tensions at the Torkham border, Khan noted: “The Taliban are attempting to unilaterally establish a border post on our side, which is unacceptable.” He stressed that Islamabad has urged the Taliban to resolve such issues through established diplomatic frameworks, such as Joint Coordination Committee meetings, rather than through unilateral measures.
Pakistan’s escalating criticism of the Taliban highlights an undeniable irony: the very group that Islamabad once created, nurtured, and deployed into Afghanistan is now turning into a source of its own security woes.
