Pakistan has repeatedly urged the interim Afghan government to take all necessary steps to prevent these weapons from falling into the wrong hands. The retrieval of these arms is seen as a crucial step in countering the threat posed by terrorist elements
Mahnoor Ansar
Islamabad: Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the presence of advanced US weapons in Afghanistan, emphasizing that these arms have been used by terrorist groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to carry out attacks within the country.
Responding to media queries regarding the US decision to reclaim the weapons left behind following its military withdrawal in August 2021, a spokesperson for Pakistan stated, “The presence of US advanced weapons in Afghanistan has been a matter of profound concern for the safety and security of Pakistan and its citizens.”
The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan has repeatedly urged the interim Afghan government to take all necessary steps to prevent these weapons from falling into the wrong hands. The retrieval of these arms is seen as a crucial step in countering the threat posed by terrorist elements operating in the region.
The move aligns with Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to ensure regional security and stability while continuing diplomatic engagements with Afghan authorities to curb cross-border militancy.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump says that future financial assistance to Afghanistan will be contingent upon the return of U.S. military equipment by the Taliban leaders currently in power.
Trump’s remarks at a Sunday rally in Washington on the eve of his January 20 inauguration have heightened uncertainty regarding his administration’s stance on the crisis-hit South Asian nation.
“They [Biden administration] gave billions of billions of dollars to the Taliban. They gave our military equipment, a big chunk of it, to the enemy,” Trump said. He referred to the tumultuous and hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, ordered by President Joe Biden.
“If we’re going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them we’re not going to give them the money unless they give back our military equipment. … So, we will give them a couple of bucks; we want the military equipment back,” Trump stated without elaborating.
Whereas, Afghanistan Taliban has reportedly refused to return any of the military equipment left behind by US troops during their exit from Afghanistan in 2021, according to a source familiar with the matter. The individual, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that relations between Kabul and the Trump administration are off to a shaky start.
Instead of retrieving the abandoned weapons, the source suggests that the US should consider providing the Taliban with more advanced weaponry to aid in their fight against the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), a local offshoot of the broader ISIS organization. This proposal highlights ongoing tensions and shifting alliances in the region.
