Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], January 13 : Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said that allegations about Afghan soil being used against Pakistan are grave in nature and must be backed by credible evidence from the federal government, Tolo News reported.
Speaking at a meeting, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi pointed out that Afghanistan shares borders with multiple countries, yet none of them have raised complaints similar to those made by Pakistan. He stressed that any claim regarding the use of Afghan territory against Pakistan must be substantiated with proof.
"Other countries also share borders with Afghanistan, but they have made no such complaints. If there is a claim that Afghan soil is being used against Pakistan, evidence must be presented. It is the government's responsibility to do so," Sohail Afridi said, as per the Tolo News.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the ongoing expulsion of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, criticising the manner in which deportations are being carried out. He said that many Afghans who entered Pakistan legally are engaged in work and contributing to the country's economy, yet are being treated harshly.
Highlighting what he termed as an inconsistent policy, Afridi said, "Those who came legally, who are working and have created employment opportunities for others, are being forcefully and violently expelled. There is a discriminatory approach here between 'good' and 'bad' Afghans, while policy should be uniform and consistent."
Meanwhile, political analysts have warned that Pakistan's repeated accusations have had a negative impact on Kabul-Islamabad ties and have called for dialogue to ease tensions between the two sides, as per the Tolo News.
Political analyst Dawood Shiraz said that Afghanistan maintains relations with several neighbouring countries without facing similar issues. He said, "We have connections with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Pakistan, and even China yet we have no issues with any neighboring country. Since the Islamic Emirate took power, security has been maintained, just as Sohail Afridi mentioned. The real issue lies in the lack of negotiations."
Another political analyst, Fareedullah Zazai, dismissed allegations against Afghanistan, saying, "The narrative that Afghan soil is being used against Pakistan or that Afghanistan's current government has an anti-Pakistan stance all of these are baseless accusations, mostly driven by political motives."
Officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have repeatedly rejected Pakistan's claims, maintaining that Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used against any country, Tolo News reported.