Gulbuddin Hekmatyar lauds PM Imran Khan for opposing Afghan war, US bases

KABUL: Hezb-e-Islami chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Monday lauded Prime Minister Imran Khan for refusing bases to the United States and courageously stating that war in Afghanistan was a mistake, ARY NEWS reported.

The former prime minister of Afghanistan was speaking exclusively to ARY NEWS correspondent Arshad Sharif in Kabul as he expressed gratitude towards Imran Khan for saying absolutely not to US bases in Pakistan.

“We are thankful to Imran Khan for refusing bases and not becoming part of US war in Afghanistan,” he said and added that India should also learn from it.

He blamed that some countries were arming resistance- a reference towards armed militias in Panjshir-  against the Taliban-led government. “The US and its allies have chosen a mischievous path,” he said.

“The weapons recovered from Panjshir after Taliban takeover were enough to equip a country’s army and questions should be asked as to how they reached there.

“The resistance in Panjshir was aimed at paving way for foreigners,” he said adding that the local population hated such elements who wanted to use them for their gains.

The Hezb-e-Islami chief said that a conspiracy is being hatched to encourage Afghan people to rise against the Taliban government by depriving them of basic food necessities.

“They are preparing people for a civil war by depriving them of basic food,” he said and blamed that weapons and money were provided to militias in Panjshir to support armed resistance.

The Afghan leader said that efforts were also underway to isolate Afghanistan globally and freeze the assets of the country.

“The US authorities are pressurizing the interim Afghan government in order to accept its demands,” Gulbuddin Hekmatyar said and urged the Taliban to not accept any such demands and adopt independent and sovereign policies.

While calling for the rehabilitation of the country after four decades of war, the Hezb-e-Islami chief urged Taliban to bring back Afghan people who went abroad so that they could play their role in the nation-building process.

Read More: INDIA SHOULD REFRAIN FROM USING AFGHAN SOIL AGAINST PAKISTAN: GULBUDDIN HEKMATYAR

He said that India was given an open ground in Afghanistan in exchange for supporting a NATO invasion and the Modi-led government took full advantage of it while heavily investing in its interests in the country.

The Afghan leader however said that after the fall of Kabul to Taliban, the Modi government should admit its mistakes.

He said that their first priority is to ensure peace and resolve internal issues so that a suitable atmosphere could be developed needed for mulling over a future course of the country.

He also supported a single-party-led government in Afghanistan and said that other countries in the region and globally also have such governments.