Linking ongoing Kashmir issue to Afghan peace process slammed by Afghanistan

Pakistan’s envoy to the United States Asad Majeed Khan has made a statement that the ongoing tensions in Kashmir could potentially affect the peace process in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has come out strongly against the statement and deemed it “reckless, unwarranted, and irresponsible”. Roya Rahmani, it’s envoy to the United States slammed Khan and said “Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. We believe Pakistan’s motive and insistence to purposely tie Afghanistan to the Kashmir issue is a deliberate attempt to prolong the violence happening on Afghan soil”.

In a statement, the Afghanistan envoy said, “Afghanistan’s stability is frequently threatened by Pakistan-based, sanctioned and supported militant and terrorist groups”.

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan strongly questions the assertion made by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, that the ongoing tensions in Kashmir could potentially affect Afghanistan’s peace process. 

The envoy said these groups operate openly from Pakistani-governed areas and regularly spill over into Afghanistan, thereby undermining the security of his country. He said “It is a poor excuse used by Pakistan to justify its inaction against the Taliban and to avoid taking a decisive stance against the militant groups”.
Rahmani asked Pakistan to address the problem of terrorism by taking sincere and forceful measures through police action inside its territory.  
Tension began to rise between the nuclear rivals, India and Pakistan after New Delhi stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status. Pakistan claims it is a stakeholder in Kashmir and any unilateral decision by India is unacceptable. It has also mounted a diplomatic offensive against India.
Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since the countries gained freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. Both govern part of the region, but claim it in full. They also fought two wars over Kashmir.
The statement also comes in the wake of attempts by the United States and Taliban to reach a peace deal that would include withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the militant group’s guarantee that the country will not be used as a safe haven for terrorists. The eighth round of talks ended earlier this week with no apparent breakthrough.
Afghanistan has been mired in conflict for decades due to the continuous insurgency of the Taliban movement and the Daesh terrorist organisation.