Kabul:
Former US National Security Advisor (NSA) John Bolton on Friday stated that Pakistan is straight accountable for the Taliban’s return to energy.
He blamed Islamabad for supporting the Taliban and giving them protected havens in Pakistan in the course of the previous two decades, reported The Khaama Press.
“Parts of the Pakistani government are directly responsible for the Taliban’s return to power,” Bolton stated in an interview with the Voice of America (VOA), reported The Khaama Press.
Pakistan’s intelligence and other internal circles have been in speak to with the Taliban for decades, Bolton added.
As the deadline for the evacuation of the US troops approaches and the Taliban has overrun a lot of districts across Afghanistan, Bolton blamed Pakistan for getting “a safe haven for the Taliban” and supporting them against the US and Afghan forces attacks. “I am concerned about the future consequences,” he stated.
At the similar time, Bolton warned Pakistan that “if the Taliban seizes power in Afghanistan, it will also be a threat to Pakistan as the terrorist pressure on the Pakistani government will increase”.
Bolton highlighted the proposal of senior US senator, Jim Inhofe, who is also the ranking member in the Senate Armed Services Committee, that at least a restricted quantity of troops be left in Afghanistan.
“The complete withdrawal of forces will weaken the morale of the Afghan government and army”, Bolton additional added.
When asked about the meeting of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani with his counterpart Joe Biden, he stated that “this trip will be the last opportunity for the Afghan government to try to encourage President Biden to gradually provide more time for other signs of continued US support if he does not alter his decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan.”
“The meeting is really important for the future of Afghanistan”, he emphasised.
The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, accompanied by Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the High National Council for Reconciliation Chief Amrullah Saleh, the initially Vice President Hamdullah Mohib, the National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Adela Raz, Afghan Representative in UN Shahrzad Akbar, the head of Human Rights Commission Fatima Gailani and Habiba Sarabi, the two female members of Afghanistan negotiating group, left for Washington this Wednesday, reported The Khaama Press.
Meanwhile, right after the meeting among Joe Biden, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the White House on Friday announced a series of measures to provide help to Afghanistan amid troop withdrawal.
In a reality-sheet, the White House stated: “Our strong support and partnership is designed to prevent Afghanistan from ever again being used as a safe haven for terrorism, maintain Afghan stability and build self-reliance, promote economic growth, preserve social gains in education, health and women’s empowerment and the rule of law, protect the rights of women, girls, and minorities, bolster Afghan civil society, and respond to humanitarian needs.”