Taliban warns US against seeking military bases in Pakistan post-Afghan withdrawal
May 28, 2021
Kabul [Afghanistan], May 28 : Referring to the media reports that the United States has sought to use military bases in Pakistan, Taliban on Friday warned Washington against maintaining surveillance in Afghanistan and said it will lead to "more bloodshed" in the country.
The Doha agreement has been "repeatedly" violated by the US and that it has led to the continuation of violence in Afghanistan, the Taliban statement added, as quoted by TOLOnews.
The US has rejected claims on violation of the Doha agreement amid its ongoing drawdown from Afghanistan.
Referring to some media reports, the terrorist group said that the US will keep its presence along the Durand Line for surveillance using Pakistan's territory and airspace. This will mean that the US will maintain its presence in Bagram and Shindand--bases in Afghanistan--and that if this happens, the Taliban "will continue their jihad" as in the past, the statement said.
The terrorist group went on to warn Pakistan not to facilitate the continuation of "Afghanistan's occupation;" otherwise, it will be "a mistake" and a "big blunder".
On Tuesday, Pakistan Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in the Senate that Pakistan would not provide its military bases to the United States for future counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan and also not allow drone attacks inside Pakistan.
The foreign minister also rejected as unfounded the reports of providing the US, bases in Pakistan, making it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would never provide its bases to the US, nor would allow drone attacks inside Pakistan, reported The News International.
"I want to assure the House that Pakistan is in safe hands," he remarked.
The remarks came after a Pentagon official said that Pakistan had allowed the US military to use its airspace and given ground access so that it could support its presence in Afghanistan.
Responding to the concerns of a senator, the Qureshi had said, "Because what we were fearing and we still fear and are concerned that a vacuum created in Afghanistan can drag or suck the country back into the decade of 1990s".
Qureshi contended that as the US planned to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Pakistan would continue playing its role for the advancement of the peace process in that country, reported The News International.
