Maryam Suleiman Khel, an exiled member of Afghanistan’s parliament, on Friday urged India to play a decisive role in holding Pakistan accountable for its continued support for terrorism and its dangerous nuclear arsenal, noting that the country is “strong enough” to expose Islamabad’s actions on international platforms and push for global sanctions.
Suleimankhil’s statements, which he made in an interview with news agency ANI, came as new clashes erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan amid… Islamabad declares “open war” against the Taliban government in Kabul.
The exile MP said India could demand accountability for the lives of millions affected by Pakistan’s “deep state terrorist policies”, while criticizing the country for its dictatorial style of governance.
“India needs to raise this matter on an international platform about how dangerous Pakistan is because it has nuclear weapons. How can a country that sheltered Osama bin Laden and has created dozens of terrorist organizations and admitted many times that it has committed all these dirty deeds, still have nuclear weapons? They should be punished, they should be held responsible. They should be disarmed immediately. India is strong enough to do that,” Suleiman Khel said in the interview.
Criticizing Pakistan’s claims that it is a victim of terrorism, Suleimankhil criticized the “military dictatorship” in Islamabad and the generals in Rawalpindi who, she said, “made war into a business.” It also criticized Pakistan’s attempts to manipulate media narratives and maintain a “facade of legitimacy” while continuing destabilizing activities in the region.
“The party is ready for Pakistan. I think the curtains have come down, and we can see the whole picture. I think everyone knows what they are capable of. What Pakistan likes to do is they like to create troll accounts online, they like to manipulate the media, they like to act like they’ve won, they like to show big numbers that are not true. It’s not a democracy in that country. It’s a dictatorship, a military dictatorship, and we know exactly what it is. Now, some people have made a career of it,” she added. “Commercially from the war, these people are the generals in Rawalpindi.”
“Open war” between Pakistan and Afghanistan
Pakistan bombed major cities in Afghanistan, including the capital Kabul, on Friday, with Islamabad’s defense minister declaring neighboring countries “in open war” after months of tit-for-tat clashes.
The operation, codenamed Ghaziabad Haqq, was Pakistan’s most widespread bombing of the Afghan capital and its first air strikes on the Taliban authorities’ Southern Force base since their return to power in 2021.
According to an Agence France-Presse report, a camp housing Afghans returning from Pakistan was bombed during the night.
The latest Pakistani operation came after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border forces on Thursday evening in response to previous air strikes launched by Islamabad.
Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated in recent months, with land border crossings largely closed since deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to act against armed groups launching attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government denies.
Most of the attacks were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group that has intensified its attacks in Pakistan in recent years.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced an “all-out confrontation” with the Taliban government, posting on X: “Now it is an open war between us and you.”
