New Delhi: Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi declared that Afghanistan enjoys peace and seeks harmony with all nations.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Muttaqi said, “We don’t want conflict with anyone. There is peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan is not our only neighbour. We have five other neighbours … All of them are happy with us.”
The statement comes amid recent border clashes with Pakistan, which have resulted in over 50 Pakistani soldiers killed and 19 Afghan border posts captured by Pakistan.
On Sunday, Muttaqi warned Pakistan that Kabul has “other options” if it does not seek peace.
On India-Afghanistan relations, he expressed optimism about expanding trade and investment. “We hope that our visits will have a positive impact on the India-Afghanistan relationship… Our trade with India exceeds $1 billion… It is good that the government, the prime minister, has decided to bring the technical mission in Kabul up to the level of the embassy… There are numerous opportunities for work in Afghanistan. After 45 years, tremendous peace has been achieved in Afghanistan. Due to this peace, people from all over the world come for diplomatic purposes. Everyone is happy,” he said.
Muttaqi invited India to invest in Afghanistan’s minerals and emphasised the opening of the Wagah border as the “fastest trade route” between the two nations.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, he said, “I met Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and talked about economy, trade and other issues.”