The Taliban on Monday mocked Pakistan and warned of a befitting response after the country's interior minister Rana Sanaullah hinted at a possible military operation against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan.
Taking to Twitter, Taliban leader and deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Yasir shared a photo of Islamabad surrendering to India after the 1971 war that led to the formation of Bangladesh. In the caption, he warned that Pakistan would face the same "shameful" fate if it launched a military attack on the TTP.
"Interior Minister of Pakistan! Excellent Sir! Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan are not Turkey to target the Kurds in Syria. This is Afghanistan, the graveyard of proud empires. Do not think of a military attack on us, otherwise there will be a shameful repetition of the military agreement with India," Mr Yasir wrote in Urdu.
The picture shows Pakistan Army's commander in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi accepting the decisive defeat and singing the "Instrument of Surrender" in Dhaka in the presence of General Officer Commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C) of Indian and Bangladesh Forces in Eastern Theatre Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora in 1971.
The image was clicked on December 16, 1971. The day is celebrated as Vijay Diwas in India. It marks the day India helped in the liberation of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Mr Yasir's warning comes days after Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Islamabad has the legal authority to act against “insurgents' hideouts” in Afghanistan if its nation is threatened by such groups.
In response to this, the Taliban also stated that they would not allow anyone to attack Afghanistan. According to RFERL, its spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said that Afghanistan wants to have good relations with Pakistan but its official should use caution when they make comments. Separately, the Taliban's Defense Ministry in Kabul stated "such claims by Pakistani officials harm relations" and any issues can be "resolved through understanding".
