India and Afghanistan in Tajik huddle ahead of key SCO summit

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar met his Afghan counterpart Hanif Atmar in Dushanbe on Tuesday ahead of the SCO Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan. Expressing concern over escalation of violence, he assured Atmar of India’s continued cooperation in strengthening “regional and global consensus to achieve a political settlement in Afghanistan”.
Referring to the escalation of the Taliban attacks “in collusion with foreign fighters and regional and international terrorist networks” against civilians and Afghan defence forces, Atmar said overcoming this threat was of vital importance to regional security. As per Afghan authorities, he underscored the “constructive role of India in strengthening regional consensus on the Afghan peace process” and the preservation of the achievements of the last two decades.
Atmar also met Pakistan foreign minister SM Qureshi on Wednesday in Dushanbe and sought Islamabad’s cooperation in closing “shelters and ceasing funding sources of Taliban” and encouraging the group to resume meaningful talks and find a political solution to the success of Afghan peace process.
After the SCO meeting, Jaishankar will travel to Uzbekistan for a connectivity summit that too will focus on Afghanistan. He is expected to come face to face with Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the conference.
The SCO Contact Group meeting is expected to come up with a joint statement on the Afghanistan situation. The government remains concerned about the spike in violence in Afghanistan because of the US withdrawal and possible use of its territory by Pakistan-based terror groups against India. India is worried about the situation, particularly in Kandahar from where it evacuated around 50 officials.
Afghanistan’s envoy to India Farid Mamundzay said the Indian consulate general in Kandahar hasn’t been closed and continues to operate through local staff.