Afghan government should wean off anti-Pakistan acts

It was due to belated realization on the part of the US and Afghanistan about Pakistan’s contribution to peace efforts that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited Pakistan and President Trump’s acknowledgement of the same. However, now it is the turn that the US and Afghanistan should do more. In March, Afghanistan Ministry of Information and Culture, Kabul published about 6000 calendars of Afghanistan New Year solar Hijri calendar 1398 containing picture of PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen and map of “Loy Afghanistan Tehreek (movement for Greater Afghanistan), showing areas of KP and Balochistan as its parts. A propaganda video had also been prepared in the office of spokesman of Ministry of Information and Culture, Kabul, Mr. Muhammad Sabir Mumand, outlining the aim of publishing this calendar as to promote the cause of Loy Afghanistan and support the struggle of Manzoor Pashteen of PTM.
The calendars were sent to different provinces across Afghanistan. The calendar carried portraits of Ahmad Shah Abdali and Manzoor Pashteen conspicuously on the calendar. On the corner, death dates of Arman Luni, formation dates of PTM, alleged surrender of Pakistan Army in Bangladesh and other incidents against Pakistan are also mentioned. Display of such controversial maps in government offices of Afghanistan is clear evidence of Afghanistan government support to PTM, evil agenda and intervention of Afghanistan in the internal affairs of Pakistan. It also indicates that Afghanistan government is officially supporting PTM cause through Ministry of information and Culture and also officially propagates the cause of Loy Afghanistan. Pakistan should ask the US government and special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to wean off such anti-Pakistan acts, and ask Afghan government to withdraw those calendars.
On Friday, the United States special envoy for Afghan peace Zalmay Khalilzad appreciated Pakistan’s wholehearted support to the process, as he wrapped up a two-day visit to the country. In a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the US envoy also expressed hope that others would follow in same vein, according to a statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the discussions Khalilzad outlined the positive momentum in the Afghan peace process and next steps. “Consolidating peace will require reliable assurances from Afghanistan and Pakistan that neither side’s territory is used to threaten the others. Such assurances on top of an intra-Afghan comprehensive peace agreement will allow for increased regional economic integration, connectivity, and development,” read the statement from the US embassy.