India will do its best to ensure protection of Afghanistan's interests: S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has asserted that terming India’s actions in Afghanistan as being indirectly aimed at Pakistan is an absolute fantasy. He said such insinuations undermine India’s prolonged effort towards a peaceful and developed Afghanistan. 

Participating in the ‘Junction Kabul: The Road to Peace’ session of the prestigious Raisina Dialogue 2021 yesterday, Dr. Jaishankar affirmed that India will do whatever is in her power to ensure protection of Afghanistan’s interests. Speaking about the negotiations between the Afghan government & Taliban, he said that all such peace processes should be both led and owned by Afghan people. He added that the outcome of the process should be in the collective interests of the Afghan people.

 

The Minister said that Afghanistan needs double peace, both within and around the country and its neighbours must contribute towards this. He asserted that the country has made significant progress since



2001 and the fact that all faiths, ethnicities, minorities, women, and children are given space in today’s Afghanistan exemplifies this progression.

 

Participating in the session National Security Advisor of Afghanistan, Hamdullah Mohib said that the new plan of the US government to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by this September is a great opportunity for the Afghans to take control of the security situation in the country.

 

Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister who also attended the joint session said that every country needs to put aside their differences and focus on commonalities. Stressing on the need to put joint efforts for a peaceful Afghanistan, he asserted that an Islamic emirate in Afghanistan will not only pose an existential threat to Pakistan but will also be a National Security threat to both Iran and India. Mr. Zarif welcomed the commitment of the United States to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan.