Pakistan Dy FM admits 'we are Taliban's spokesperson'; corrects herself after gaffe

In an embarrassment for Pakistan, its junior Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar publicly mitted that her country acts as 'spokesperson' for Taliban. Speaking exclusively to Pakistani news outlet Geo News on Saturday, she conceded that Islamab often holds a brief for Afghanistan on global forums. Realising her gaffe, Khar hastened to d that Shehbaz Sharif-led government vocated engagement with Taliban regime as Pakistan will have to face repercussions of hunger and terrorism in Afghanistan. 

Pakistan's MoS Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar remarked, "If re is an escalation of citizens being killed on Pakistan border, I don't have any room left. We don't conduct diplomacy by dictating to ors what to do. We are telling our own view. Our view is not Western view. We don't want such conditions in Afghanistan. In some ways, we become ir spokesperson in front of world. It is Muttaqi Sahab's job to be Afghanistan's spokesperson and not ours. re should be clarity on this."

She ded, "We are not ir spokesperson, we are Pakistan's spokesperson. We say that engage with m. Why do we say this? Because apart from Iran, Pakistan is perhaps only nation to share a 2600 km border (with Afghanistan). If you enable starvation by closing ir banking channels, eliminating all kinds of ties with m, don't let tre happen and debilitate system, who will be impacted? When people will die of hunger re or go towards terrorism, which country will be affected? Those who are sitting across Atlantic or those who share a 2600 km boundary?"

Pakistan's dalliance with Taliban

As per sources, ex-ISI chief Faiz Hameed h a big role in formation of caretaker Afghanistan Cabinet led by Mullah Mohamm Hasan Akhund. This was evident from fact that Hameed was seen visiting Kabul on multiple occasions after Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Moreover,  Pakistan military's drones and helicopters aided terrorist group to capture Panjshir province from National Resistance Front of Afghanistan. Moreover, sources revealed that Pakistan military was favouring Haqqani network whose key leers have found a place in  government. 

Stopping short of formally recognising new Taliban government, Pakistan has repeatedly called on or countries to provide financial assistance for Afghanistan despite violation of human rights. However, relationship between neighbours soured owing to inability of Afghan Taliban to curb  TTP's activities and killing of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul. After Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed concern over presence of banned outfits on Afghanistan soil during his speech at UN General Assembly, Taliban rejected this assertion.