Islamabad :
Prime Minister Imran Khan has telephoned the Tajik president to ease growing tensions between the Taliban government and Tajikistan, stressing the urgent need to resolve issues and meet the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office stated that “Prime Minister Imran Khan had a telephone conversation with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon.” Strict statements were exchanged between the government and there were reports that Tajik forces held a parade to demonstrate their strength in the Afghan border area while the Taliban sent thousands of fighters to the border in the northeastern neighborhood.
Tajikistan has taken a hard line on the Taliban government, especially in Panjshir province, criticizing human rights abuses. On his return from the SCO summit in Tajikistan on September 18, Prime Minister Imran Khan said: He is persuading the Taliban to form a comprehensive government that includes people from all ethnic groups.
On this occasion, he referred in particular to his talks with Tajik President Emomali on this issue. Later, in a tweet, the Prime Minister had said that meetings with leaders of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries in Dushanbe, especially with President Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan. After lengthy negotiations, I have begun negotiations with the Taliban for the inclusion of the Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek communities in the Afghan government for an inclusive government.
However, the Taliban see Tajikistan’s criticism of them and the formation of their government as interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. In a TV interview this week, Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi said: We will not allow interference in internal affairs. ”The Tajik population is believed to be the second largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, comprising 27 percent of the population. The majority of these groups are anti-Taliban and have sought refuge in Tajikistan.
The statement from the Prime Minister’s Office did not explicitly state that the Prime Minister had called for a reduction in tensions between the two sides, but did say that there was an urgent need to address the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people. He highlighted the role of the international community in providing much-needed assistance to Afghanistan.
