INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Wednesday expressed concern over the escalating tensions
between Pakistan and India and said further escalation was : not in the interests of the region : .
According to a statement issued by the
Foreign Minister, the IEA stated it : reaffirms its belief that security and stability serve the collective interests of all countries in
the region : .
The IEA also urged both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their issues through dialogue and diplomacy.
The IEA : s
statement comes only hours after a target operation against Pakistan was carried out overnight by India in retaliation for the Kashmir
terror attack last month that India has blamed on Pakistan.
Pakistan : s PM vows to avenge India : s ‘act of war :
However, Pakistan : s
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Wednesday : s airstrikes and said his country would retaliate.
: Pakistan has every right to give a
robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given, : Sharif said.
The country : s National
Security Committee met Wednesday morning, and Pakistan summoned India : s charge d : affaires to lodge a protest.
Hope of the easing of
tensions was however seen during the day Wednesday when Pakistani media reported that airports in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi were
operating again after all traffic was halted overnight.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a special meeting of the Cabinet
A source told the Reuters news agency Modi postponed a trip to Croatia, the Netherlands and Norway.
Concern mounts
South Asia analyst
Michael Kugelman said it was one of the highest-intensity strikes from India on its rival in years and that Pakistan : s response would :
surely pack a punch as well
:
: These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of
conventional military force against each other, : Kugelman said.
: The escalation risks are real
And they could well increase, and quickly
:
Stephane Dujarric, the United Nations spokesperson, said in a statement late Tuesday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for
maximum restraint because the world could not : afford a military confrontation : between India and Pakistan.
Several Indian states
planned civil defense drills later Wednesday, according to India : s home ministry, to train civilians and security personnel to respond in
case of any : hostile attacks, : the ministry said in a statement.
Such drills in India are rare in non-crisis times.
The post Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan ‘concerned : over rising tensions between Pakistan and India first appeared on TINS News | Afghanistan News.
