New Delhi, July 31: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans ingrained habit of denying facts has been exposed again.
In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Khan had vehemently denied that Pakistani soldiers and other "fighters" have crossed the Durand line into Afghanistan in support of the Taliban.
"Absolutely nonsense" the former cricketer asserted when quizzed on whether Islamabad had provided boots on the ground in support of the Taliban inside Pakistan.
But the lie has now been exposed as pictures available with India Narrative show Pakistani troops and officials receiving coffins of their fallen comrades inside Afghanistan at a checkpoint along the Durand line. Photos of ambulances to transport the injured, along with the identity cards of the killed leave no doubt that Pakistan military's is directly participating in combat alongside Taliban in Afghanistan.
Recently the Afghan security forces say that they have killed many Pakistani soldiers. According to Afghan Army 209 Corps, a Pakistan army officer named Javed was killed by intelligence agency officers. They said that Javed was leading the Taliban in Logar, Paktia, and Paktika provinces.
According to Afghan intelligence, more than 500 Pakistani army and ISI officials led by a Lt General are present in Afghanistan to guide the Taliban in strategising its plan against the Afghan government.
The Generals of the Afghan army also stress that there are thousands of foreign fighters with most of them Pakistani nationals who are fighting alongside the Taliban in areas along the Durand Line.
"Intelligence information shows that there are retired Pakistani colonels who are training the local Taliban," said Gen. Karim Niazi, commander of the second regiment of Selab 201 Corps, as quoted by TOLO news.
Afghan sources also claimed that they had arrested some Pakistanis involved in the fighting. They also charged that wounded Taliban combatants were being taken for treatment across the border in Pakistan.
Social media posts have shown announcements and advertisements for their memorial services, as their dead bodies return to their hometowns. Videos of Pakistani citizens holding Taliban flags and chanting Islamist slogans at rallies to show support for the Afghan insurgents have been circulating on social media.
According to one Pakistani analyst, "Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Prime Minister Imran Khan used to say the relationship with the Taliban puts it in a great position to facilitate talks between the Taliban and the US but when they say that they have no ‘influence' over the Taliban.they (are) contradicting their own claims. There is public support for the Taliban within Pakistan and over the years Pakistani nationals remain their volunteer fighters. It's a fact."
It is apparent that the Pakistani narrative is riven with contradictions as it is hard to cover up Islamabad's hand-in-glove support to terror groups.
"Paki military has super alliances with terrorists. It should be declared a terrorist state. ISI can protect UBL & regional/International terrorists but Afghans are not allowed to meet PAK politic," says former Afghan intelligence chief Rahmatullah Nabil in his post on social media.
Pakistan's brazen support for the Taliban has triggered a blowback inside Pakistan. On January 27, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) had organised a very successful rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan's "wild west" in support of the Afghans fighting against the Taliban and the Pakistani terrorists. A massive gathering in Waziristan yesterday asked the Pakistani rulers to stop sending terrorists into Afghanistan for killing Afghans.
Pakistani parliamentarian Mohsin Dawar took a pot shot at the Pakistani army, when he said: "This is just like an invasion. It is a step towards attacking your neighbouring country. You are supporting the terrorists who are fighting their government there. Despite losing thousands of Pakistanis, the State refuses to change its policies. Look at the way the Establishment controlled media is exaggerating Taliban achievements in Afghanistan. If the Taliban are so dear to the Establishment, then why not select them for Pakistan as well."
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