Amid rising tensions between the Taliban and Islamabad, former Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh has criticized Pakistan’s policy toward the Taliban, describing it as questionable.
Saleh stated that Pakistan, on the one hand, works to sustain and preserve the Taliban leadership, while on the other hand it seeks to target individuals who, according to him, hold no significant position or role. He did not specify who these individuals are.
In a message posted on the social media platform X on Monday, 8 Saratan (Cancer), the former Afghan vice president said that instead of forcibly deporting Afghan refugees, Pakistan could have expelled the Quetta Shura and the Haqqani Network, and dismantled the network of religious schools supported by the state that, from 1994 to 2021, backed the Taliban.
Saleh further stated that the forced deportation of Afghan refugees will not enable Pakistan to achieve any of its strategic objectives. According to him, this measure will neither resolve the issue of terrorism nor influence the policies and conduct of the Taliban.
He emphasized that the forced return of Afghan refugees does not exert any pressure on the Taliban, as, in his view, the group misinterprets and misunderstands ongoing developments and events.
These remarks come as Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior has issued new directives to provincial authorities and security agencies. According to the order, starting July 10 (19 Saratan), all Afghan nationals without valid visas will be subject to immediate arrest across all provinces of Pakistan and in the federal capital.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
