ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has termed the situation in Afghanistan ‘dangerous’, saying that Pakistan could face its consequences.
The former President’s remarks came during an informal conversation with the media in the National Assembly in Islamabad today (Tuesday). He stressed the need for Pakistan to keep an eye on Afghanistan’s situation and mull and deliberate on the matter.
However, the PPP co-Chairman expressed hope that relevant authorities would be monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country and take decisions accordingly.
When asked about the reports of former special assistant Zulfi Bukhari travelling to Israel covertly, Asif Zardari emphasised that the government should take parliament into confidence on the matter.
Earlier in June, Afghan Taliban fighters captured four more districts from government forces in the past 24 hours amid an escalation in fighting across the country. It comes after the US began withdrawing its remaining troops from the war-torn state more than a month ago.
The Do Aab district in eastern Nuristan, one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, was seized by the Taliban overnight, while Shinkai in southern Zabul, Deh Yak in adjacent Ghazni and Gizab in neighboring Daikundi province were overtaken.
In recent days, concerns have been raised over a security vacuum in Afghanistan amid the US pullout as the already dim prospects of successful reconciliation between the Afghan government and the Taliban are growing dimmer with every passing day.
Pakistani authorities fear a further intensification of the civil war in Afghanistan following the completion of the pullout in the absence of a political settlement. This, they apprehend, can have a spillover effect pushing refugees into Pakistan.
