India only invested in the people of Afghanistan, Jaishankar tells opposition

Jaishnakar addressed 37 leaders of 31 opposition parties in an all party meeting called by Prime Minister Naendra Modi to brief them on the critical situation in Afghanistan in the aftermath of Taliban's takeover of the country.

Jaishankar made it amply clear that India was very much at the centre of the global diplomacy post capture of Kabul by the Taliban and the ground situation was too fluid to take a call on future ties with the present regime, stated a Hindustan Times report.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Singla briefed the  Parliamentarians for 45 minutes before Jaishankar spoke.

Jaishankar heard 26 speakers for three and a half hours in Parliament and responded to each of the questions and observations made by the legislators.

The all-party meeting appreciated the ministry of external affairs for handling the Afghan situation, the HT report said.

Two video clips were shown to the Parliamentarians with scenes of Taliban firing and general chaos on the streets of Kabul.

Asked about the steps India was taking to engage with the Taliban and the recognition of the new regime in Kabul, Jaishankar said there was no certainty either on the ground in Kabul or within the international community over the new rulers of Afghanistan and India was in a wait and watch mode, the report stated.

Due to divisions with the Taliban, there was no consensus over sanctions against Afghanistan if any, the law and order in the country was critical, the Doha Process was in a stalemate, it was still unclear when the US would pull out troops and was no certainty about the government in Kabul, Jaishankar said, adding that it would be foolhardy to take a policy call on Afghanistan due to the prevailing circumstances.

India should avoid the path where events force it to take a decision and that, too, without fully assimilating the facts on ground, Jaishankar stressed.

He also dismissed the allegation that India had been isolated on the issue of Afghanistan.

He pointed out the recent telephonic conversations between PM Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Puin on Afghanistan. He said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, Saudi Arabian State Foreign Minister Adel Aljubeir, all have been in touch with India over the Afghanistan crisis. The Qatar government, too, wants to keep in touch with India over Afghanistan.

India as president of UNSC called a special session on Afghanistan on August 16, Jaishankar said, adding that India is playing an important role as the chairman of the UN 1988 sanctions committee for listing and delisting of terror entities and individuals.