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India on Thursday slammed Pakistan for border tensions with Afghanistan, calling it "unacceptable" and reprimanding Pakistan for practising cross-border terrorism with impunity.
In a weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan is "infuriated" with Afghanistan for exercising sovereignty over its own territories. "I reiterate what I had said in my last briefing," Jaiswal told reporters, "Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. Pakistan seems to think that it has the right to practice cross-border terrorism with impunity. Its neighbours find it unacceptable. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan." The MEA's remarks come amid worsening relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan following the failure of peace talks held in Turkey this week. The two countries have seen an escalation in border tensions, with both sides trading accusations and engaging in skirmishes. According to Dawn, hostilities began on the night of October 11, after the Taliban government in Kabul accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes inside Afghanistan an allegation Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. On Wednesday, the tensions deepened after Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a severe warning to the Taliban regime, threatening possible military strikes inside Afghan territory. Speaking to reporters at Pakistan's Parliament House, Asif said that if another militant attack occurred on Pakistani soil, the country would not hesitate to respond militarily. "We will conduct strikes, we definitely will," Asif said, as quoted by *Dawn*. "If their territory is used and they violate our territory, then, if we need to go deep into Afghanistan to retaliate, we surely will." He added that Pakistan had engaged in peace talks "to give peace a chance" at the request of friendly nations, but described the Taliban's statements as "venomous" and reflective of a "devious and splintered mindset." The failed peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan were mediated by Turkey and Qatar, with the aim of curbing cross-border terrorism and reducing military confrontations. The negotiations, held in Istanbul, lasted four days but ended without any agreement or roadmap for de-escalation. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that the discussions "failed to bring about any workable solution." The talks were part of ongoing international efforts to de-escalate border violence after several deadly clashes earlier this month. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering militants, who have carried out several attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians. The Taliban, however, denies these claims and accuses Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty through cross-border strikes. India has maintained its support for an independent and sovereign Afghanistan and has repeatedly criticised cross-border terrorism in the region. (ANI)
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