Afghan Taliban have right to speak in favor of Kashmiris: Spokesperson

Dunya News

Shaheen said, "We will raise our voice and say that Muslims are our own people."

KABUL (Dunya News) – Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen on Thursday said that Afghan Taliban have the right to speak out in favor of the Muslims of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

In an exclusive interview to British Broadcasting Company (BBC) through video link on Thursday, the Taliban spokesman while recalling the terms of the Doha agreement with the United States, said they had no policy of conducting armed operations against any country.

He said that as a Muslim, it was their right to speak out for Muslims living in Kashmir, India and any other country. “We will raise our voice and say that Muslims are our own people, our own citizens and they are entitled to equal rights under the law,” he said and added the eyes of the world are on India.

Critics say India has seen an increase in hate crimes against Muslims since 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, the BJP and its allies deny the allegations. The controversial law granting citizenship to non-Muslim refugees who have arrived illegally from three neighboring countries has also been seen as a target for Muslims.

Regarding the Haqqani Network, Shaheen said that the propaganda against the Haqqanis was based on mere claims, adding that Haqqani is not a group but they are part of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. “They are the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” he added.