Threat of Terrorism Persists in Pakistan Despite Blaming Afghanistan in UN Discourse: In-Depth Analysis
In a region fraught with geopolitical tensions, the issue of Afghanistan's Bagram Airbase has once again come to the forefront. This strategic location, with its potential to counterbalance China's influence and monitor regional threats, has been a subject of interest for several nations.
The Bagram Airbase, originally built in the 1950s with Soviet support, was controlled by the United States for about two decades. The U.S. handed over control to Afghan forces in July 2021, and the Taliban took control in August of the same year. However, the U.S. military left the base in July 2021.
The strategic value of Bagram lies not only in its ability to counter regional threats like ISIS-K and Al-Qaeda, but also in its potential to track movements via drones and satellites. Moreover, it could provide the U.S. with a vantage point to monitor China's nuclear ambitions, given its proximity to key nuclear facilities in Xinjiang.
The vacated Bagram Airbase, located just 700-1000 km from China's key nuclear facilities, has also caught the attention of China. Apart from being interested in Afghanistan's rare earth minerals worth an estimated 3 trillion dollars, China is concerned about potential U.S. presence in the region.
The situation in Afghanistan has also led to accusations and counter-accusations between neighbouring countries. Pakistan, for instance, has been accused by India of nurturing terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who continue to operate from its soil and threaten peace in the region. Pakistan, in turn, has accused Afghanistan of harboring over 60 terrorist camps aimed at launching cross-border attacks.
Pakistan's Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, claimed that more than 6,000 fighters from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are stationed in Afghanistan and are preparing attacks on Pakistan using U.S.-supplied weapons. Furthermore, Pakistan has alleged that extremist content is being spread through 70 other Afghan internet-based accounts.
The issue of terrorism has also been raised at the UN Security Council. Pakistan omitted the existence of over 150 terror groups operating from within its own borders, making it the largest terror hub in the world. In response, India sharply responded, highlighting Pakistan's long-standing role in nurturing terror groups.
The discussion between Trump and Xi Jinping included issues such as trade, TikTok, and the Russia-Ukraine war. However, the matter of Bagram Airbase and the surrounding tensions in Afghanistan and South Asia was undoubtedly a significant point of conversation. Trump expressed his intention to return to Afghanistan and retake the Bagram Airbase, but the future of this strategic location remains uncertain.
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