Regional security profile

Pakistan's synopsis on security concerns vis-à-vis India and Afghanistan, made public at the UNSC on Monday, was on the mark. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar minced no words in making it clear that bias and vendetta are driving both Delhi and Kabul to plot against Islamabad. The permanent envoy at the world body substantiated his arguments by citing India's proxies at work inside Pakistan, especially in the desolate province of Balochistan, and Afghanistan's pampering of terrorist outfits on its soil.

It is no secret that India's new-found love for Taliban has made the regional security situation precarious, and Pakistan is on the receiving end. The spike in terrorist incidents since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021 is a case in point, thanks to the collaborative role of India and Afghanistan, whose sole objective is to destabilise Pakistan.

Pakistan's envoy also put the record straight by saying that Islamabad's kinetic intervention inside the Afghan territory was solely meant to exterminate the terrorist hideouts in self-defence. Pakistan, having run out of patience, was justified in doing so. Kabul not only evaded Pakistan's legitimate demand to act against terrorists, but it also breached its commitments to the international community under the 2020 Doha Accord.

The Kabul-Delhi duo cannot absolve themselves by finger-pointing at Pakistan for everything that goes wrong in the region; they, too, need to engage in some introspection. Ambassador Iftikhar has thus rightly pointed out the compelling necessity for the Taliban to undertake "verifiable" and "concrete" action to clear their slate regarding counter-terrorism operations.

India, likewise, must scale down from its mentality of regional hegemon, and start dealing with its neighbours in a civilised manner. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the boycott of sports events and the collapse of the dialogue process are unbecoming of a responsible, major neighbour. Kabul and Delhi would be better advised to extend an olive branch in terms of geo-economics cooperation, and unite against the menace of terrorism.