Representative image (Picture credit: ANI)
NEW DELHI: Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian on Sunday described Pakistan’s foreign policy as a “failure” following its recent confrontation with Afghanistan, where Islamabad has been accused of carrying out strikes on Afghan territory. Speaking to news agency ANI, Fabian said Pakistan had acted as an aggressor and “played its hand badly,” resulting in deteriorating relations with Kabul.
“This has happened when, maybe coincidentally, the Afghanistan Emirate foreign minister is in Delhi,” Fabian said, as per ANI. “The bad relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan cannot entirely be explained on the basis of the Durand Line. I think Pakistan played its hand badly, probably was overbearing. The proud Afghans resisted, and now the relationship is very bad,” he said.Fabian noted that Pakistan had carried out strikes on Kabul, prompting Afghanistan’s retaliation. “On the whole, Pakistani policy has been, more or less, a failure… It is abundantly clear that Afghanistan is keen on developing relations with India, which is the case with India too, and Pakistan is naturally upset,” he added. The Afghan ministry of defence has recently said that the armed forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan conducted “successful retaliatory operations” against Pakistani military positions along the Durand Line late Saturday night. In a statement cited by ANI, the ministry said the strikes were “in response to repeated violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty by the Pakistani military and airstrikes on its territory.”According to news agency Associated Press (AP), Afghanistan claimed on Sunday that its forces had killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and captured 25 military posts in overnight operations along the border. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces were in control of the “official borders and de facto lines,” though Pakistan has not confirmed any casualties.Both the Torkham and Chaman border crossings remained closed on Sunday following the escalation. Pakistan, for its part, accused Afghan authorities of harbouring militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge Kabul has denied.Tensions between the two countries have worsened in recent months, with frequent border skirmishes and airstrikes deepening distrust. Saudi Arabia has called for “restraint and dialogue” to prevent further escalation in the region.
