KABUL: Afghanistan once again has sent a message to India on the issue of terrorism. Amrullah Saleh, a vice-presidential candidate for the next elections in Afghanistan criticized Pakistan for its strong opposition to terrorism.
The former head of the country’s intelligence services called the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar, a “venomous arm” of Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
We are victims of our vital location. Our location is both our asset and our liability. Our quest is to convince the neighbors including Pakistan that they must look into the positive side of the Afghanistan. https://t.co/4YHgc1q9ao
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) March 31, 2019
When asked about being rescued by China in proclaiming Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, Saleh in an email interview from Kabul, “…whether China does or doesn’t see him as a terrorist, he is a terrorist,” according to the report of Hindustan Times.
Saleh said, “See, when they attack India or Afghanistan they [ISI] use this tool [terrorism] and then survive behind deniability themselves. Although it is not sticking anymore, it is perceived as a second deterrence in the hands of the Pakistani establishment,” Saleh said.
Afghan VP candidate Amrullah Saleh slams @France24 claim by Dutch journalist @BetteDam that late #Taliban leader Mullah Omar was hiding in Afghanistan,not Pakistan,until his death:"this is a Taliban version of Harry Potter" full interview… https://t.co/VOwnNfHLgb pic.twitter.com/x7bc55KFdq
— HarryPotter-Project (@project_potter) March 31, 2019
Saleh also referred to the Haqqani network about whom former US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen described as a “virulent arm” of ISI.
He added: “ I believe the whole infrastructure of terrorism which breeds and operates out of Pakistan is a virulent arm of ISI. Either we convince Pakistan to delink itself from them, which is next to impossible, or we work together to cut this venomous arm.”