Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of ‘violating Kabul’s sovereign territory’

KABUL, Oct 10 (Reuters): Afghanistan's Taliban government has accused Pakistan of violating Kabul's "sovereign territory", describing it as an "unprecedented, violent, and provocative act".

The allegation comes after two loud blasts were heard in the city late on Thursday.

Pakistan had also bombed a civilian market in the border province of Patika, in Afghanistan's south-east, the Taliban Defence Ministry said in a statement on Friday. Locals there told the BBC's Afghan service that a number of shops had been destroyed.

Pakistan has neither confirmed nor denied that they launched an attack inside Afghanistan.

However, during a press conference held in the city of Peshawar on Friday, a top general alleged Afghanistan was being used as a "base of operation for terrorism against Pakistan". "To safeguard Pakistani lives and properties, what measures need to be taken will be taken," General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry added.

Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of permitting the Pakistan Taliban, also known as the TTP, to operate from their land. The Taliban government have always denied this.

Rumours had circulated that the blasts in Kabul were part of a targeted attack on the TTP's leader, Noor Wali Mehsud.

In response, the TTP released an unverified voice note from Mehsud saying he was still alive.

Meanwhile, India has announced that it is upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, cementing its first high-level diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan’s Taliban administration since the group seized power in 2021 after the United States withdrawal and fall of the previous government.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Friday revealed the decision following talks with his Afghan counterpart in New Delhi.

“Closer cooperation between us contributes to your national development, as well as regional stability and resilience,” Jaishanker noted, addressing Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at a joint news briefing.

Jaishankar said India was “fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan”. He thanked Muttaqi for his “invitation to Indian companies to explore mining opportunities in Afghanistan”.

The move reopens the embassy that was closed in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. India had since maintained a limited mission to oversee trade, medical, and humanitarian efforts.