LAHORE: The US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan and the fast changing political and security situation there have left India biting the dust virtually. India had made huge investment in Afghanistan during the last two decades to materialize its nefarious designs against Pakistan through a proxy war, but its machinations seemed failing badly during the past weeks. It wanted to curtail Pakistan’s role in development of its neighbouring brotherly country, especially its efforts to help bring about lasting peace there. But, it’s an irony that it had to flee itself due to Afghan Taliban’s fast advancements in capturing various districts after the withdrawal of the US forces from there. Even New Delhi had to pull out its diplomatic officials from its consulates in Kandahar and other places after Taliban widened their control in different provinces. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday the Indian officials in the Kandahar consulate had been called back, while the local staff was still working there to facilitate the visa-seekers. Indian ministry’s spokesman Arndam Baghchi said that the return of diplomatic staff was a temporary measure, until conditions were improved, but local staff at the Kandahar consulate would remain working there. However, according to various social media and international media reports, the Taliban have captured the Indian consulate in Kandahar. A video that went viral on the social media, showed the Taliban occupying the Indian consulate. In the video, gun-wielding Taliban-men, can be seen going to different parts of the consulate building. A report, released by the Kashmir Media Service (KMS) recently, said that most of the Indian officials, fleeing Kandahar now, were serving officials of the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The report disclosed that India was desperately trying to further worsen the situation in Afghanistan. It wanted the war to continue that country, so that it could achieve its sinister designs especially against Pakistan. Noted defence analyst, Lt-Gen (retd) Naeem Khalid Lodhi, told APP that India was experiencing its defeat on all internal and external fronts in Afghanistan lately, adding that the withdrawal of the US forces had left New Delhi high and dry with no other choice but to leave the country sheepishly. For the last many years, India had been using Afghan soil to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan. It had spread an intelligence network in that, mainly to destabilize Pakistan, the analyst said.
