New Delhi: Pakistan minister Fawad Hussain hit out at Afghanistan Vice President Amrullah Saleh Thursday, a day after the latter posted a photograph of the signing of the Instrument of Surrender in 1971 to attack Pakistan for allegedly sheltering the Taliban.
Hussain, who is Pakistan’s federal minister for information and broadcasting, called Saleh a “hyena”, and said: “…a bunch of you have little interest in Afghanistan or even this region you are just a scavenger will fly to safe heavens when the time will be up.”
Afghanistan belongs to brave people of Afghanistan unlike hyena’s like you, a bunch of you have little interest in Afghanistan or even this region you are just a scavenger will fly to safe heavens when the time ll be up… https://t.co/5VvTKeSgL2
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) July 22, 2021
This was in response to Saleh’s tweet Wednesday, in which he had posted the photograph from 1971, that was taken after the India-Pakistan war, and wrote: “We don’t have such a picture in our history and won’t ever have.”
We don't have such a picture in our history and won't ever have. Yes, yesterday I flinched for a friction of a second as a rocket flew above & landed few meters away. Dear Pak twitter attackers, Talibn & terrorism won't heal the trauma of this picture. Find other ways. pic.twitter.com/lwm6UyVpoh
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 21, 2021
The photo captures Pakistan’s then Lt General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi signing the Instrument of Surrender while Indian Lt General Jagjit Singh Aurora looks on.
It also features Vice Admiral Krishnan, Air Marshal Dewan, Lt General Sagat Singh, Major General J.F.R. Jacob.
The document was signed on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka after a 13-day war and marked the formation of Bangladesh.
Saleh’s attacks on Pakistan
In the past few days, the Afghanistan V-P has put out several tweets criticising Pakistan for sheltering the Taliban, especially in the Spin Boldak area in Afghanistan’s Kandahar that was recently captured by the terror group.
Last week, Saleh had claimed that the Pakistani Air Force was supporting the Taliban and had warned the Afghan Army and Air force against dislodging the group from Spin Boldak.
“Pakistan air force has issued official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force. Pak air force is now providing close air support to Taliban”, Saleh tweeted.
The ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan had deteriorated further after the daughter of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan was kidnapped earlier this month.
Following this, both Kabul and Islamabad recalled their respective ambassadors from each other’s countries.
While Pakistan called the incident “unfortunate and regrettable”, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan reportedly left Kabul due to the growing tensions between the two countries.
According to Saleh, the abduction and the alleged torture of the envoy’s daughter had “wounded the psyche” of the nation.
President @ashrafghani instructed @mfa_afghanistan to call back our ambassador from Islamabad along with all senior diplomats. The abduction of Afgh ambassador's daughter & her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 18, 2021
Meanwhile, the Afghan government and representatives of the Taliban are engaged in talks in Doha to reach a settlement.
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