Imtiaz Gul
The question as to whether Afghanistan is an immediate neighbors represents an interesting case study. Look at the map of Afghanistan. Which countries surround it? Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China by virtue of the Wakhan corridor. That is it about Afghanistan’s immediate neighborhood.
But in an astounding claim, which amounts to a travesty of geographical facts, the Indian minister for external affairs Jaishakar called Afghanistan as “immediate neighbor.”
“– the United States, of course, has a very unique involvement in Afghanistan, but as a immediate neighbor with a historical connection, we do feel that the way we are looking at it, the way we see the challenges ahead, what needs to be done, I would say our views were quite similar ….”
Jaishakar made this ludicrous claim while standing next to the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on July 28 at New Delhi during their press talk.
Does he need a lesson in geography or willfully twisted facts to play to the lobbies.
A straight line between New Delhi and Kabul runs as long as at least 1074 Km. And the Indian Wagha Border – next to Lahore – sets Torkham – Pakistan’s border to Afghanistan as far away as at least 600 kms.
By what stretch of imagination can the Indian declare Afghanistan as their immediate neighbour? Mind-boggling.
Posturing and deception is probably and essential element of multi-lateral politics but brute distortion certainly uncalled for. But the Indian minister probably thought it fit to distort even naked facts on geography because international politics pursues interests only, not morality or factual correctness.
